


Miraculous Parents (probably on hiatus forever. Can be read as oneshots though)

by fullmetalpotterhead



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adoption, Childbirth, Dadrien, Domestic Fluff, Fake baby rearing project, Fashion mom Marinette, Momnette, Multi, Pregnancy, Raising children, stay at home dad Adrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:06:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6490951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmetalpotterhead/pseuds/fullmetalpotterhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Episodic adventures of Dadrien and Momnette as they raise their hoard of children. But of course, none of this would come to pass if it wasn't for a doll they were assigned to look after in health class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which the cat is let out of the proverbial bag

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there guys! So I'm going to be doing two fics at the same time but I wanted to keep a regular update schedule so I'm going to be alternating fics each week. This one is fluffy fluff and the other one is darker and plottier. So next week I'll update that one and then the week after that I'll update this one again and so on and so on for the foreseeable future unless I get a lot of buffer chapters backed up (which doesn't seem likely at my current speed).
> 
> So these first couple chapters are basically the introduction to the main story. They will still be in school for this first part. This is how their story begins.

In hindsight, none of this would have happened if Alya had just agreed to be her partner. But, when the teacher had mentioned the fake child rearing exercise, all the couples in the room had paired up immediately. And so Alya and Nino betrayed their besties without a second thought. 

Marinette pouted, but Alya didn't seem the least bit ashamed. Instead, she subtly nodded towards the similarly dejected looking Adrien. _Ask him._

"I can't just ask Adrien-" Her voice, a hurried and too loud whisper, was cut off by the boy himself. 

"Hey, Marinette?" Turned around in his seat, he looked up at her nervously.

She squealed, falling off her chair in a rather impressive screw up. "A-Adrien. What's up?" 

Next to her, Alya was silently shaking her head. Alya could judge all she wanted; _she_ didn't have to deal with her crush being a kindhearted, model classmate. _She_ had been _friends_ with Nino before they started dating. 

"I thought we could be partners? If you wanted to, I mean." Eyes wide, he was the picture of self-doubt. How he could honestly believe she'd say anything but yes was beyond Marinette's comprehension. 

In fact, Marinette thought she might spontaneously combust out of happiness at being asked. Of course, Chloe wasn't one to let that happen. 

"Adrikins!" The sickly sweet voice shattered any of Marinette's fledgling delusions, forcing her to face the reality. And the reality was, if she didn't form a proper answer very quickly, Chloe would steal her chance.

Marinette fumbled to find the words to accept his offer before Chloe got her talons on him, but her tongue seemed to be failing her. Shooting a frantic look towards her friend, Marinette was relieved to find Alya understood. 

"Marinette would love to be your partner." 

Adrien smiled, clearly relieved, and stood to switch spots with Alya. 

Oh god. Oh god this was happening. 

Marinette only half listened as the teacher continued her explanation and passed out the robotic dolls, absentmindedly initialing the strip of tape on its back as she was instructed. 

It wasn't until Adrien started trying to name the doll that she snapped out of it again. 

"We are not calling him Chat Noir." Marinette crossed her arms, doing her best to look stern. 

"Why not?" 

Because her partner would never let her live it down if he found out. 

"That's not a proper name."

Nino turned to face the new 'couple', grinning at them. "Name it Adrien Jr."

Adrien shook his head at his friend, smiling at his antics, "Marinette can name him. She is the mother after all."

Marinette blushed at that thought, her mind already drifting off again. The mother of Adrien's children...

"What are you going to name him?" Alya handed her own doll to Nino, clearly more interested in her friends' new 'kid' than her's. 

"Hugo. We should name him Hugo."

* * *

The robotic baby doll proved to be more trouble than Marinette had originally expected. It's 'crying' woke her up at odd times of the night, continuing until she fed it or changed its diaper. 

Adrien seemed to like the doll, occasionally cracking jokes about them being parents and asking to take 'family photos'. Marinette went along with it for the most part. It was easy to forget her stuttering when he made jokes as bad as Chat's. 

The two of them worked out a system so that they alternated days when they had the baby. The project was supposed to go for a whole month, to really get the feel of 'raising a child'. Marinette was pretty sure there was more to raising kids than just this crying, eating, and diaper ruining stage, but with Adrien as her partner, she wasn't really complaining. 

Still, Marinette couldn't find it in her to like the doll as much as Adrien seemed to. Hugo seemed to constantly be out to get her. While his 'father' seemed to sleep through the night, _she_ was stuck waking up to deal with the little devil every other hour. Each and every inopportune moment was spent dealing with the noisy doll. 

It would be, of course, that the baby had its crying fit when an akuma hit. Shoving the fake bottle in its mouth, Marinette eagerly rushed off to fight. 

* * *

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir struck their signature pose before Chat leaned over, grinning mischievously. 

"You know, my Lady, you didn't have to use Lucky Charm this time."

"Yeah?" She kept her position, neither leaning towards nor away from him.

"Soooo, since there's no rush, why don't we hang out a little longer?" The look on his face was cocky, but his eyes gave a hint of something else. Nervousness. Kind of like the expression Adrien had had when he asked her to be his partner for-

"Oh shoot- I have to go actually." Ladybug spun away, flicking her yoyo to latch onto a chimney. 

"What? Why?" Chat dropped his flirting pretense completely, confusion replacing it. 

"I have to get back to the baby." With a light tug, she was off and Adrien's mind roared with that simple little sentence. 

Baby. Ladybug had a baby. 

How old was she? How old was the baby? Was she married? 

All the questions and implications of her small statement left his head swimming. True, she never really talked about her civilian life, and Alya had once theorized she could be at least five thousand years old, but he's never expected...

Worrying was useless, Adrien decided. He'd just have to ask her directly. 

* * *

Patrol wasn't due to start for another five minutes, but Adrien couldn't resist. Hugo was safely tucked in and sleeping early, but he didn't like being away from his 'son' for long, even if it was just pretend. Any more than two hours alone wasn't good for the baby.

But this wasn't the time to be thinking about some fake baby (no matter how much he loved said fake baby). Ladybug's baby was his real mission tonight. There were so many questions he just couldn't-

"Someone's here early." Ladybug landed neatly in front of him. "That eager to start patrol?"

"Eager to see _you_ , my Lady." The lines slid easily off his tongue for her.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, yoyo poised to throw, "Whatever you say. Ready to go?" 

Chat gave an exaggerated bow, "Ladies first."

 

The pair flew across the city at a leisurely pace. Occasionally, they'd see something they could help with, but for the most part, patrol was an excuse to get out and run. 

And talk. 

"Something bothering you?" Ladybug slowed, still scanning the streets below and coming up to meet his eyes a few times. 

"I guess you could say there's a few unanswered questions that have been _bugging_ me."

Ladybug sighed at the obvious pun. She'd been so careful not to say the word too. 

Chat stopped, giving her a serious look. Curious, Ladybug waited, giving her partner her full attention. 

"Ladybug, are you married?" 

"Of course I'm not married."

"Do you at least have a boyfriend?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business, but no, I don't."

Ladybug was a single mother. And she still managed to find time to fight akuma and patrol. Could she be any more incredible?

Chat put both hands on her shoulders, meeting her eyes with an intensity that made her blink in surprise. "Ladybug, I'll do everything in my power to help you take care of your baby."

"Okay?"

He nodded, letting go of her and starting to move again. "How old are they?"

"I got him last week?"

Only a week ago? Had the transformation hidden her pregnancy? Should she really be in action so soon?

"Do you think I could meet him? Or is that too personal-"

Ladybug gave him a strange look. "Sure, if you really want to."

"Right now?"

"His 'father' has him today. I'll bring him tomorrow night, deal?"

"Thank you."

"No problem." Ladybug shook her head at his confusing antics, easily dismissing it as Chat being weird. 

* * *

Chat paced, he had to be on his best behavior tonight. After all, Ladybug was bringing her _son_ to meet him. And rooftops weren't exactly the safest for newborns, but she _had_ insisted they meet up in their regular spot. 

This was the quite possibly the biggest exercise of trust in their partnership Ladybug had ever shown and Adrien was determined not to let her down. 

A speck of red caught his eye. Ladybug. And in her arms must be her son. Should she really be holding him so loosely? Then again, she was the mother, she probably knew best. Ladybug waved the hand that held the baby in greeting-

"LADYBUG, BE CAREFUL WITH HIM!" His shriek of horror echoed in the calm night. 

"It's not going to break." Ladybug yelled back casually. 

"I'M PRETTY SURE BABIES CAN BREAK!"

Ladybug landed easily in front of him, handing him the baby with a confused look. "I wasn't going to drop it."

A doll. It was a doll. Just like the ones handed out in his class. 

"Oh." He looked at Ladybug's 'son', noticing a familiar strip of tape on its back. Complete with five little letters he instantly recognized. _Oh._

"Yeah, his name is H-"

"Hugo." This was too good to be true. 

Ladybug gave him another confused smile. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"You named it because I wanted to name it Chat and Nino suggested Adrien Jr."

"What-How-" Panic and confusion filled her expression. 

With a deep breath, Chat released his transformation, meeting his partner's eyes with a nervous grin. "Hey Marinette."

A beat. Two. Ladybug stood shell-shocked. 

"Marinette?" Adrien took one step forward; as if some switch had been flipped, Ladybug started screaming. "Marinette- My Lady, please don't-"

"I HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW IMMEDIATELY!" Ladybug nearly fell of the roof in her scramble to get away, catching herself at the last minute as she hurled herself as fast and as far from him as she could. 

"That went well." Plagg commented sarcastically. 

"She left Hugo."

"You gonna go after her?"

"I think she wants me to leave her alone tonight. It's past Hugo's bedtime anyways."


	2. In which they kind of work things out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter: Marinette and Adrien partner up to raise a fake baby for class. While the robotic doll seems out to get Marinette with all its crying, Adrien does not seem to face this same problem. After accidentally letting a mention of her "child" slip, Ladybug introduces baby doll Hugo to Chat, subsequently revealing her identity. She then screams and runs away, leaving Adrien with the child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this chapter as much as the other ones but it is a necessary one. Also I really need more songs for my writing playlist for this fic. I currently have one song so its a very sad little playlist. And I was GOING to update this on Thursday but then I got time in class to edit sooooooooooo....

Looking back, Marinette could admit screaming and running for the hills may have been a _slight_ overreaction.

The next day at school had been entirely too strange for her. She'd been insistent that Alya return to her usual seat, forcing their 'husbands' to sit next to each other again. Adrien still seemed to hover around her, giving her enough space to be polite, but clearly anxious for her response to the new knowledge that...

Oh god. 

Adrien was Chat. 

Chat was Adrien. 

The same Adrien she'd been obsessing over for two years now. 

The same Chat she'd been fighting side by side with for two years now. 

The same Adrien who's face she had plastered all over her room. 

The same Chat she'd _kissed_ \- oh god she was _screwed_. 

Still, she couldn't keep avoiding him. He was her partner after all. 

And she still had to get Hugo. 

Adrien perked up, hopeful as she approached him after class. He practically tripped over his chair to greet her. Nino shot him an amused look and slid out of their way. 

"Hey, Marinette." He was trying so hard to sound casual, but his face gave him away. At least she wasn't the only one nervous. 

"I thought we should talk. Can you... Come over maybe?" It was hard for her to meet his eyes when he looked so hopeful like that.

Adrien nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah-Yes-Just let me tell my driver."

Five minutes and a very awkward walk later, Marinette and Adrien gently closed the trap door behind them. 

"Feel free to make yourself comfortable." She gestured around her room stiffly. 

"Thank you." Adrien looked around somewhat helplessly before seating himself on her chaise, arranging Hugo more ‘comfortably’ in his arms. Plopping down onto her desk chair, Marinette spun to face him. 

"So." It took every ounce of strength she had to maintain eye contact with him.

"So?" 

"You're... I... How was Hugo?" 

If Adrien was disappointed by her line of questioning, he didn't show it. 

"He was good! It's amazing how well behaved he is really. Barely ever cries." Adrien looked every bit the proud father looking down at the doll in his arms. 

" _Barely ever cries?_ Are you kidding? He wakes me up all the time." In her disbelief, Marinette momentarily forgot to be nervous. 

"Well how often do you check on him?" Going into Parent Mode, it seemed like Adrien had forgotten too. 

"You mean at night, when I'm _sleeping_?" 

"Of course." He looked at her as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Wait wait wait. Let me get this straight. You actually wake up _on your own_ to check on a doll?"

"Our son." He corrected. 

"Adrien, it's a doll."

"Give it up, you're not going to be able to get it through his head." A new voice came, the body soon coming into Marinette's view as a little, floating black cat came out of Adrien's jacket. 

She froze. 

"Plagg!" Adrien voice was tense and unsure as he looked between her and the new arrival. 

Taking a deep breath, Marinette did her best to smile with the physical reminder of who Adrien was slapping her in the face again. "Your Kwami?"

"Yeah..."

"Mine's named Tikki."

As if summoned, a little red head popped out of Marinette's bag. "Nice to finally meet you, Adrien."

"Nice to meet you too."

Silence filled the room awkwardly. How did they usually talk? Should she treat him like Adrien or like Chat? Like both? Like neither? 

He seemed to want to talk to her, but maybe she was misunderstanding. Maybe he had been so upset by her ignoring him today he'd decided to never talk to her again. Maybe-

"...I'm sorry." Adrien's soft admission broke through the wild scenarios swirling around her head. 

"Why should _you_ be sorry? You didn't do anything wrong." Marinette insisted, straightening in her seat. 

"You didn't want us to know each other's identities and I ruined that." He hung his head like a scolded child. 

"It's not your fault you figured it out and... And I'm glad you told me."

Adrien's hopeful expression should really have been banned. The boy was clearly trying to kill her with how adorable he looked. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, it would be kind of unfair for both of us if you knew and I didn't."

"So you aren't... Disappointed?"

Marinette blinked in confusion. Disappointed? That her best friend and partner was the amazing friend she had a crush on? "Why would I be?"

Adrien shrugged, fidgeting with Hugo’s clothes. "Your reaction was kind of..."

"I didn't mean to-I was just-it's not that I was disappointed! It's was just," Marinette sighed, "a lot to take in."

"So... Still friends then?" 

Marinette stood, doing her best to smile confidently as walked towards him. Adrien watched as she placed herself directly in front of him, extending her fist. 

"Still _partners_."

* * *

Knowing that Adrien was Chat was... Weird. That was the only way she could describe it. 

While she and Adrien _had_ become decent friends in the two years since she first met and fell for him, their friendship had always been a somewhat timid one. They rarely hung out without Alya and Nino's presence; more friends through circumstance than anything. The easy banter she exchanged with Chat was very different from the friendly conversations she was accustomed to with Adrien. Even a week after finding out, it was still strange to see the two personalities she knew bleed together. 

He, however, seemed to have no problem with the sudden knowledge. Once Marinette had managed to reassure him it was shock, not displeasure, that prompted her somewhat awkward reactions, Adrien had warmed up immensely. 

In fact, he'd gone right into Chat Noir-level familiarity, now with Adrien-type conversations. He stopped flirting with her in suit and didn't try out of it (something she still couldn't decide whether or not she was happy about). Questions about school and family continued (now with added puns). But the biggest change were the visits. 

See, Adrien's obsession with Hugo had seemed to double since he'd found out the 'mother of his child' was his best friend and partner, Ladybug.

It was bad. 

Already since finding out, he'd made it a habit of visiting her on the nights she had Hugo, knocking at the trap door above her bed until she opened it. The first night, it had seriously scared her. 

"Adrien? What's wrong?"

Detransforming, her partner had crawled through the trap door, looking at her with wide kitten eyes before searching the room. 

"Adrien? Is everything okay?" Her eyes flitted across him, trying to find any signs of injury. 

"Where's Hugo?"

"Whe-What?" 

"Hugo. You don't have him in bed with you."

Irritated by the sudden change of topic, Marinette pursed her lips. "Of course I don't have him in bed with me." 

"He'll get lonely!" It almost came out as a whine. 

Marinette snapped her fingers in front of him. "Adrien, focus, why did you come?"

Meeting her eyes again, Adrien's face was so serious it took her breath away... Until he opened his mouth. "I missed Hugo."

"You just saw him three hours ago!" Eventually, she’d learned to just bring Adrien Hugo and talk with him until he was satisfied Hugo was okay and left on his own. As long as she kept Plagg fed, it was actually kind of fun- but they were made less fun by the serious lack of sleep they were causing her and the ridiculous manner they always started in. 

The every other night visits were bad enough, but Adrien hadn't stopped there, oh no. 

Because Adrien had made a diaper bag complete with everything Hugo needed, and insisted she take it on nights she had the kid. It was strange, sure, but she figured it was best to accept the bag and wave it off as one of Chat's-er _Adrien's_ \- weird quirks.

Usually, she didn't open it. _Usually_ she left the bag untouched and handed it back to him completely in order the next day. However, Marinette had made the mistake of pulling out the blanket one night and left it out of the bag. 

The knocking on her balcony’s trap door was so frantic, she had practically flown up the ladder to reach it. Chat's face had looked down through the opening, hair disheveled and eyes wild. 

"Marinette!"

"Chat, what's wrong?" 

He had placed his hands on her shoulders to steady himself, practically on the verge of tears, falling into her arms. "I couldn't find it!"

"Hey, hey, it's okay! I'll help you find it, just tell me what you need."

"I can't find Hugo's blanket!"

Marinette blanched. Without a word, she'd picked Chat up and thrown him back onto the balcony, slamming the door behind him. "Don't scare me like that!"

Chat's voice was desperate on the other side of the door, unbearable sadness warping his usually sweet and calm tone. "Marinette, please! He can't sleep without it!"

With a sigh and enough grumbling to put Plagg to shame, Marinette did eventually find the blanket and give it to him. 

Needless to say, Adrien's antics didn't give her much time to overthink things. She couldn't waste the effort wondering about her relationship Chat vs Adrien, not when Hugo seemed to take over their daily lives. 

It was a _doll_ for heaven's sake. None of the other pairs were as immersed in the little game of house as Adrien was. There were times Marinette wondered if Adrien even remembered Hugo wasn't a real boy. She kept waiting to see him wishing to the Blue Fairy or something. It was a little weird. 

...But, she didn't exactly dislike it. Somehow, in this strange delusion, Adrien had managed to forget they were just friends. Most times, he seemed to be under the impression they were actually married. And if there was a legitimate reason for her to sign her papers Marinette Agreste-Cheng, she certainly wasn’t complaining. 

For better or for worse, she and Adrien were family now. 

Marinette was 90% sure this wasn't what the teacher had originally had in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter I think there should only be two more chapters of them with the fake baby project and then we launch into the real story... *sweats nervously as I look at my outline spanning from them ages 19-37 that's still growing*. I don't have a problem what are you talking about. Ellecim should have never given me this idea. This is terrible, I love it too much.  
> Thank you for reading! Comments and constructive criticism are appreciated. I also appreciate all the kudos and subscriptions and bookmarks ,you guys are so nice.


	3. In which Gabriel tries to be a Supportive Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Marinette and Adrien end up working together on a fake baby rearing project. After a misunderstanding on Chat's part, Ladybug inadvertently reveals her identity. After (mostly) coming to terms with the fact that Adrien=Chat=Adrien, Marinette realizes her partner is an utter dork who is way too involved in the childcare of a doll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this was supposed to come out later this week but I want attention so here.

Gabriel Agreste was worried about his son. 

That in itself wasn't particularly out of the ordinary. When you lived in a town with frequent attacks by super-powered villains, it was normal to worry. Especially when your son had lived a relatively sheltered life up to that point. 

But this was different. 

Because what concerned Gabriel now was Adrien's behavior lately. 

Specifically, the fact he was reading parenting books and had transformed his bedroom into a nursery. 

Perhaps he shouldn't have skipped out on having The Talk. He had figured before, with Adrien's interactions limited it wasn't a problem and then with public school, the curriculum would take care of it, but maybe he hadn't been careful enough. 

Clearing his throat, Gabriel came into the bedroom-turned-nursery, eyes focused on where his son laid, surrounded by more pregnancy and parenting books than could possibly be healthy for a boy his age to read. 

"Adrien."

"Father! Sorry. I didn't see you." Adrien scrambled to mark his place in the book before giving Gabriel his full attention. 

"I gathered that."

"What do you need, father?" Sitting up straight, Adrien waited patiently, the picture of a perfect child, and yet...

"I've noticed you've seemed especially...interested in infant care lately."

"Oh. Yes, I'm sorry for any inconvenience." So it was true then. 

"Who's the mother?"

Adrien's eyes lit up at the question. "Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"The girl that won my hat designing competition?"

"Yes," Adrien sighed contently, expression going wistful. "She's pretty incredible."

"You've seen more of her work then?"

"She showed me, yes. Did you know that bag she always wears was made by her too?"

"Right. We'll discuss this more later." With a nod towards his son, Gabriel fast walked out of the room. He had some damage control to work out. It was amazing Adrien had kept this under wraps for so long- Gabriel hadn't been aware his son was dating anyone nor that a girl in his class was pregnant. He certainly hadn't pegged Miss Dupain-Cheng as the type to get involved in such a scandal. Still, Adrien was taking this extremely well. Gabriel could only hope the Dupain-Chengs would as corporative. 

* * *

"You called me, father?" Adrien stood at the entrance of the office, waiting. 

"I did. Please sit down." Gabriel watched as his son did as instructed. "I've thought a lot about your newest... development, and I decided the best course of action would be to bring Marinette into the family officially." 

"I don't understand."

Gabriel sighed, sliding over a little black box. Curious, Adrien opened it, staring in shock at the shining wedding band. "I've called and invited the Dupain-Chengs for dinner tonight. Are they aware of the... situation?"

"Situation?" Adrien was still stunned as he tried to keep up with his father's train of thought. 

"The baby."

"Oh, you mean Hugo. Yes." How long had she been pregnant for them to already pick a name? Or was the child already born? How long had he been a grandfather without realizing it?

"Good. They'll be over in an hour. I expect you to be ready by then."

"Yes, father." Adrien stood to leave. 

"Wait. You forgot the ring."

Hesitantly, Adrien took it, twisting the box in his hand. "What is this for exactly?"

"I'm inviting them over tonight so you can propose." Gabriel looked over at his son, exasperated. 

"Marriage? Actual marriage?"

"Yes, actual marriage."

"But... We're sixteen!" He didn't look opposed to it so much as confused. 

"And with parental consent, you can marry." Gabriel did his best to keep his patience. 

Adrien gazed at the box somewhat wistfully, a far away look in his eyes. "I don't know if she'll say yes."

Standing, Gabriel awkwardly made his way to Adrien and pulled him into a hug. After a moment of stunned silence, his son hugged him back. 

"I know it's a lot to take in but... I'll be here for you." Disengaging himself from the hug, Gabriel did his best to smile reassuringly. It came out more like a grimace, but Adrien seemed to get the idea. 

"Thank you."

* * *

Adrien was practically bouncing when the Dupain-Chengs arrived. Tom and Sabine had dressed nicely but Marinette, oh god _Marinette_ was a vision. Then again, she could probably be wearing her pajamas and he'd still think that.

He'd always liked her. How could anyone not? Marinette was smart and friendly and strong. Except around him. She had never seemed to stick around Adrien too long, and when she did, she didn't converse so much as stutter nonsense. 

But since he'd found out she was Ladybug, she'd been better about talking to him. It wasn't _quite_ like Ladybug and Chat, but it was close enough. It helped that they had this project too. He doubted she would have talked to him so soon if it wasn't for Hugo. Or that she would give him any excuse for late night visits. 

Not that he was using Hugo to get to Marinette. He honestly carried about the pretend child, but he was pretty sure Hugo wouldn't mean nearly as much if Marinette wasn't his partner. 

Because that's what they were. Partners. _Family._ The three of them (five if you counted Plagg and Tikki), were _family_. And if she and her parents accepted his proposal, they'd be family legally too. 

"Mar-" Adrien was cut off as Gabriel held a firm hand on his shoulder. 

"I suggest we all sit down. Right this way, please." Gabriel led the group to parlor, Adrien and him sitting opposite Marinette's family. 

"You said on the phone you wanted to discuss something important?" Sabine prompted. 

"Yes. Adrien has told me you know about your daughter's child?"

"Her-? Oh Hugo, yes."

"I would like to formally apologize on behalf of my son."

"Oh, don't worry. Adrien has been a huge help whenever he comes over."

"Adrien seems eager to be an active part of this child's life. I'd like to support him in that."

"But Adrien already takes Hugo home...?"

Gabriel froze. His son had been _bringing a baby home and he hadn't known?!_ Keeping his face neutral, he went on. 

"...I was unaware. However, I have another thing I must ask you. It seems only proper... What I mean to say is..." Gabriel found his words failing him. This whole situation was very overwhelming, especially considering he was the only one who seemed concerned by it all. 

"My father thinks we should get married." Adrien said the words in a hopeful rush, smiling nervously at the trio in front of him. 

Tom and Sabine laughed while Marinette gaped. 

"What brought this on?" Sabine asked, calming her laughter. 

"Considering the child, I thought it would be the best course of action. Of course-"

"Mr. Agreste, that's a bit overboard for a school project, don't you think?"

"School project?! What sort of projects are taking place at that school?"

The rest of the room looked at him, clearly confused. 

"Raising a fake baby isn't that uncommon of a project though?" Marinette voiced the general consensus of the group. 

"A fake- What are you talking about?"

"Mr. Agreste. Hugo is a _doll_. Didn't you know that?"

 

As it turned out, Gabriel had _not_ known that. To say he was relieved by the whole misunderstanding would be a vast understatement. Dinner preceded somewhat awkwardly, but Tom and Sabine seemed to think the whole thing was a great joke. Besides answering when polite, Gabriel decided to keep his mouth firmly shut the rest of the night.

And it was a _long_ night.

After dinner, Tom and Sabine had stuck around to talk to him- or more accurately, to make fun of him- leaving the children to their own devices. 

Looking around at the nursery in Adrien's room, Marinette sighed. He'd gotten more stuff since the last time she'd been over. 

"Don't you think you're taking all this a little too far?" She picked up one of the parenting books, flipping through the tabbed pages and catching glimpses of Adrien's notes scribbled into the margins. 

Adrien shrugged, smiling over at her. "You guys keep teasing me about it, but it is fun."

Marinette held up one of the pregnancy books, raising an eyebrow. "You're a weird one, kitten."

Adrien just smiled, watching as she wandered through the room and picked at the nursery things. 

"I can't believe your dad actually was going to get us married."

Adrien's smile faded as an idea replaced it. Pulling out the little black box, he held it up for her to see. "You can have it if you want. It is for you."

She hesitated, looking between him and the ring a few times before finally making up her mind. "I'm sure your dad will want to return it to the store."

"He won't. I don't think he'll want me to give it back to him at all actually. He hates talking about it." Seeing Marinette's unsaid question, Adrien have her a sad smile. "It was my mom's ring. Before she left."

"Oh." She stilled, unable to think of anything better to say.

"Yeah. I'm surprised he even dug it out actually." 

Marinette shook her head. "I can't take something that important."

"It's not that important.” Adrien’s fingers brushed the top of the band in quiet contemplation. “Well, not to my father at least."

"But it means something to you." Marinette took a seat beside him as he pulled the ring out of its box, turning the band around in his palm for a minute before looking up at her again. 

"You don't have to take it if you don't want to. I just thought... It should be worn."

Opening her purse, Marinette pulled out a ziplock bag with a needle and thread. 

Adrien cocked his head to the side questioningly. "What's that for?"

"I keep them just in case I have to stitch something up." Taking the thread, Marinette unspooled a good amount before cutting it with her teeth. Quietly taking the ring from his hand, she slipped it on the string and quickly knotted the back, sliding the makeshift necklace over her head. "I think I might get a lot of questions if I wear a wedding ring but, is this okay?"

"It's perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter of the babies in school and then we start the episodic adventures. Next one is where I make things emotional for no good reason besides the fact that I can.  
> See, Gabriel is...Well he's doing his best, okay? Adrien is confused, but like the good child he is, he does not question why his father is insisting he marry his cute classmate. This almost turned into an arranged marriage fic. Darn, I would've like to see that. Foiled by my own writing *shakes fist at the sky*  
> Thank you for reading. Comments, Constructive Criticism, Things you wanna see add to my hellishly long outline (you have to remember that the episodic adventures will be aged 19-super old domestic and family raising fluff), or OCs you wanna tell me about and see appear in later (it'll take awhile) chapters are appreciated.


	4. In which a promise is made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapters: Marinette and Adrien are paired for a fake baby raising project for their class. Adrien figures out Marinette is Ladybug because of the doll they're raising-named Hugo. Gabriel misunderstands everything and thinks Adrien has a really child because of the way he's set up his bedroom like a nursery and is reading parenting books. Upon finding out Marinette is the "mother" Gabriel insists they get married. And of course embarrassing himself terribly when he figures out that its a doll and Marinette is not pregnant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY. This is the last introduction chapter (kind of.. Its the last one about their school days at least). And then we have two more chapters before the kiddos become a thing and the real adventures begin. This is such a long introduction geese. Can you have an introduction when you have no plot? Like... I have an outline but the plot is basically just their life... So... Yeah...  
> Updated early because I'm needy please enjoy.

Through their month of "raising a child together", it was easy to see Marinette and Adrien had grown closer. Civilian identities and superhero identities overlapped and blurred together. There were still times it was weird, of course, but for the most part, they were figuring it out. The one thing that ate at Marinette was that she wasn't exactly sure what to call their relationship anymore. 

Chat had stopped most of his flirting, but she couldn't exactly say they were "just friends" after Adrien had sort of kind of proposed and continued calling her "the mother of his child" and insisting on "family photos". 

In fact, most of Marinette's confusion was centered around the doll problem, because Adrien was without a doubt taking this too far. 

At first, it had been funny. Marinette would roll her eyes and Nino and Alya would tease him and they'd all laugh it off. 

But then they had to turn to dolls in. 

Adrien hadn't _cried_ , but he'd come pretty darn close. It had started out simple enough, he asked the teacher if they could continue the project, the teacher had, of course, said no. He was devastated. Nino and Alya laughed off his eccentricities while Adrien gave Marinette a long speech about how the school was "taking away their child". 

It had stopped being funny by the second day. 

And when the week was over, and Adrien still wasn't back to normal, they all started to get concerned. He wasn't cracking stupid puns anymore, he barely smiled, and to top it all of he'd started wearing all black in mourning. A few times he'd even gotten distracted fighting akumas because he saw a baby. This was getting ridiculous. 

It was also getting weird. In the three weeks since they'd found out each other's secret identities, Chat's visits had become part of her routine. And if it wasn't Chat, it was Adrien coming by for dinner. Without Hugo, there was no reason for him to come by so often. Without Hugo, Adrien seemed to keep a strange distance from her. If she was honest, it was a little frustrating how he could make her run in circles like this. 

A knock on her window pulled Marinette out of her thoughts. Usually Chat came from the balcony since there were bars on her window. Maybe he'd forgotten. Leaping out of bed, Marinette was surprised to be greeted with not Chat, but Plagg as the Kwami phased through the window to face her. 

He didn't wait for her to speak. "You need to talk to Adrien." 

"Yeah I know, he's being really weird."

"No, not like that." Plagg seemed to bristle at her response, prepared to defend his charge. 

Defend. 

Plagg was actually discouraging teasing Adrien for once. And Plagg teased Adrien about _everything_. Actually, now that Marinette thought about it, she'd never heard Plagg complain about anything related to Hugo. Plagg could go on for hours about lack of cheese, too much time spent at school, the fact Adrien's room didn't have a fondue fountain, the lack of games on his phone, his failure to appreciate the "finer things" in life like good cheese, but never a word about Hugo. Never a word about the nursery or the baby books or the fake family he'd created. 

On that, he’d been completely and utterly silent.

Dread filled Marinette. “What-”

“Ask him about his family.”

“Can’t you just-” 

But Plagg was gone, off through the window and back towards the Agreste mansion again. There was something terribly unsettling about that.

“Tikki?”

“Yes, Marinette?” The red kwami had stayed unusually quiet during Plagg’s visit.

“Transform me.” A flash of light and she was gone, already headed full speed towards where Adrien would be.

* * *

Approaching his window, Ladybug saw the boy in question sitting on the floor, scrapbooks open around him. It took her a second to make out the pictures, but when she did, she let out a sigh.

Throughout the time together with Hugo, Adrien’s “family pictures” had been a daily occurrence. Marinette had assumed the whole thing was a joke he kept doing to see her flustered, that he’d delete the pictures afterwards, but apparently she was wrong. Instead, he’d filed them all nicely away in a scrapbook. 

Deciding stalling any longer would be rude, Ladybug knocked lightly on the window. Adrien’s attention snapped towards her immediately, and, with a dumbstruck face, he opened the window to let her in.

“What are you doing here?” His voice wasn’t accusing, just curious. Still, she felt a stab of pain at the words. Her partner was hurting. Why _shouldn’t_ she be here with him?

“Can we talk?” Marinette let her transformation drop, silently thanking Tikki as the kwami rushed off to hide herself somewhere.

“Sure, just let me…” Bending down, Adrien gathered up his scrapbook and went to set it neatly on his desk before sitting down on the couch. “What’s wrong?”

Taking a deep breath, Marinette forced herself to meet his eyes. “What’s your family like?”

Adrien seemed confused by her question. “You’ve met my dad. And you know my mom isn’t around anymore.”

“Yeah but… You don’t ever really _talk_ about them.”

Adrien’s smile nearly broke her heart. “There isn’t really much to talk about. My mother left when I was ten without any word and after that I didn’t see my father much either. Not that I saw him much before. He and my mother… they had always had issues.” He stopped, but seeing her patient face pushed him on. “Father wanted me to be a ‘perfect son’. Mom didn’t really like the way I was being raised. Didn’t like me growing up in a world of adults and photoshoots and homeschooling. I used to think it was because she really loved me, but looking back… I think I was just another reason for her to hate father. 

“They fought a lot. Tried not to do it in front of me, but I still knew. It’s kind of hard to miss when you spend all your time at home. Then one day I woke up and she was just… gone. I don’t know if father knows where she is. He likes to pretend she didn’t exist. After she left, he got stricter; it was hard with just the two of us. And he’s busy with work, so we don’t eat as a family or anything like that. But eventually I managed to convince him to let me go to public school and now I know you guys.” Adrien smiled for her again, as if the ending made it all okay.

And suddenly everything made sense to Marinette. Why he watched her and her parents like they were some kind of miracle. Why he always looked awed when they showed him affection. Why he cared so much about that stupid doll. Because maybe Adrien couldn’t get his childhood back. Maybe he couldn’t ever make his parents love him or each other or come back and be a happy family.

But maybe he could _make_ one. Maybe he could actually have a family with a stupid doll and his partner, the one he trusted to watch his back, the one he could talk to without a filter. The one he maybe loved. (Because as much as she’d played it off, Marinette had never been blind to the way Chat had looked at Ladybug.)

“Hey, why are you crying?” Adrien’s hands fluttered around her face, desperate to dry her tears, but nervous about testing her boundaries.

Closing her eyes, Marinette pulled Adrien into a hug. “I’m sorry.” It took him a moment to respond, but when he did, she felt tentative hands wrap around her, fingers grasping the back of her shirt like a needy child.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, you didn’t do anything wrong, my Lady.”

“I made fun of you about Hugo. I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine. You’re right. He was just a doll. It’s not like we really had a kid or anything.” His voice was resigned and muffled by her shoulder.

Pulling away, Marinette didn’t bother wiping away her tears as she took his face in her hands. “When we get older, I’ll give you so many kids you won’t know what to do with them all and you can spoil them to your hearts content.”

Adrien’s eyes shined with tears to match her own. “You…”

Realizing what she had said, Marinette turned beat red. There was no doubt in her mind she would have started babbling if it wasn’t for the fact Adrien quickly pulled her back into a hug, crying and thanking her over and over again until he wore himself out.

It wasn’t exactly a proposal. And it wasn’t precisely a confession either. But whatever it was, Marinette didn’t regret it in the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this will be the level of angst you should expect at most out of this fic. Its really just a fluff fest. Except that one thing. But that's so many chapters in don't even worry its fine. 
> 
> I like to think that Marinette and Adrien will never really have a "we're dating now" talk, it'll just kind of happen post reveal? You know? Where they just hang out all the time and blur personalities and Alya and Nino tease them about it and everyone assumes they're dating so they just kind of ARE. So both of them have proposed now. That's fun. My editor (and by editor I mean the person I stole majority of the upcoming OCs from who's only reading this ahead of time so she can OC check her children) keeps screaming at me for many children I have planned. She knows how many there will be because she's seen my insanely long outline. So she really enjoyed Marinette's kind-of-proposal. I think. I think that's what the screaming meant. Anyways yeah. This fic is how I'm escaping reality currently so I might update more frequently (I currently have 1.5 buffer chapters written after posting this one, but I like having that buffer in case something goes wrong). I'm talking so much right now oh my gosh.
> 
> OKAY. SO. Thank you for reading. If you comment, give constructive criticism, or kudo- I love you. If you're reading this I probably love you anyways. If you have things you want to see our dorks do for this domestic fluff that will be now starting, send your ideas my way either here or on tumblr. If you have songs about children, I would love to hear them so that I can add them to my playlist. I think that about covers it.


	5. In which I provide background

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapters: Adrienette took care of a fake baby doll named Hugo, found out their secret identities and both kind of proposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on chapters will time skip so I'll let you know at the beginning of each how old they are.
> 
> **The year they are 19**. This is post-graduation.

Adrien had been working his butt off since graduation. Every offer to model he got, he took. 

She supposed it wasn't too strange. If Gabriel hadn't insisted she skip university and dive straight into work at the fashion house full time, Marinette didn't think she would've had enough time in her day to breath. This industry could run you ragged if you let it. 

It was luck that got Marinette this far. A chance encounter with Jagged Stone when she was younger meant she had come in with more connections than just her boyfriend's father. The rock star had commissioned her several times- of course people would start to take notice. Pretty influential people too. 

Gabriel would have been an idiot not to snatch her up before another company did. 

And Marinette wasn't going to throw away her shot at making it. She practically _lived_ fashion at this point. Her days were filled with work-either at the fashion house or doing odd commissions here and there and most of her downtime was spent studying trends and design elements. 

It was exhilarating. 

Still, Adrien's sudden passion for modeling was strange. He had never dragged his feet over his job, but he'd made it pretty clear to her over the years that modeling was just something he did to keep his father happy, not something he planned to devote his life to. 

And yet, at one in the morning, he was finally just getting home, barely registering her presence in his room as he flopped face first onto his bed in exhaustion. Putting her books aside, Marinette walked over to sit next to him. 

"Hey."

Adrien rolled around to face her, smiling softly. "Princess, what are you doing over this late?"

"Nathalie let me stay to wait for you." Reaching out, Marinette carded her fingers through his hair. 

He relaxed into her pet with a content sigh. "I'm afraid I'm not much for company right now." 

"It's fine. You're coming out with us tomorrow, right? Nino's really missed you lately."

"I've missed you guys too."

"Maybe you should ease up on the work then." She said it jokingly, but he still frowned. 

"I'm sorry. Since I won't work out of Paris I want to take every other job I get."

She had questions, but early in the morning when he was about to fall asleep on her was not the time. Besides, he'd promised her tomorrow; she'd have plenty of time to ask then. 

Leaning down, Marinette pressed a kiss to the top of his head, standing. "I'm going to head home."

"Wait," Adrien reached out, missing her hand but managing to get a hold of the edge of her t-shirt. "It's late, you shouldn't be out at this time of night."

"We don't live that far apart, I'm sure I'll manage."

"Or you can stay the night."

Marinette grinned down at her half-asleep worrywart of a boyfriend. "Adrien Agreste, are you trying to seduce me?"

"If I say yes will you stay here?"

"Nope. But if you can manage to stay up a little longer, I can text you when I get home."

"Princesssssssss," Adrien whined, hand still lightly tugged her over. "You could get hurt."

"I may be your princess, but I'm also your Lady." Removing his hand, Marinette opened her purse, calling Tikki into her earrings. "Pick you up tomorrow?"

"Deal. Love you, bug." 

* * *

"Over here!" Alya's voice called across the restaurant, her fingers never stopped their insistent tapping on her phone, even as she smiled up at them. 

Marinette was careful not to jostle the two kwamis hidden in her bag as she slung it off and took a seat across her friends. Adrien slid in next to her, bumping his fist against Nino's. 

"You guys _just_ missed it! Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up and I got some _fantastic_ action shots."

Marinette and Adrien shared a secret grin. "Your blog is going good then?"

"Oh totally. I got another sponsor too." Alya's ability to hold a conversation while writing an article for her blog had never ceased to amaze Marinette. 

"And another job offer." Nino bumped her shoulder, a proud smile on his face. 

"A full-time offer though. Full-time job means less time for Ladybug and you _know_ my goddess of Luck comes first. I wonder if there's any way to arrange a meeting with them."

"You want to do another interview?" Marinette tried to plan out a time she could 'accidentally' take notice of her friend again. Get close enough that Alya could ask. Avid reporter that she was, Alya already knew the routes the heroes patrolled so there was probably a night she could make some excuse to let her friend catch her. 

"Kind of. I'm thinking more like asking to be their official agent."

Adrien leaned forward, "What do you mean?"

"Well they've got their secret identities, but that makes it really hard for others to get in contact with them. Commercialization is happening everywhere, but they don't really have a voice in any of it. They're saving Paris every day, I think they should have some way to communicate directly to the people. I could be the go between!"

"She thought of it last night and she hasn't stopped talking about it since." Nino complained goodnaturedly. 

"Just think of the possibilities! I'm thinking we start with a mass anti-bullying campaign endorsed by actual superheroes who see some of its effects!"

"That's... A really cool idea actually."

"Right? Paris practically worships them, you can't just throw away that fame."

Noticing the waiter hovering uncomfortably off to the side of the table, Adrien waved him over. 

"Sorry to interrupt. Are you ready to order?"

Talk moved onto Marinette's new job after that, her excitement making her explanations barely coherent. Taking a breath, Marinette calmed herself down as their food was set in front of them. 

"What about you, Nino? How's your job hunt going?"

Nino shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich. "The music store is still good, I guess. Freelancing isn't going as well though."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you just booked another DJing gig at that club right?" Alya finally clicked off her phone, grabbing her fork instead. 

"I can talk to some people about getting you another photography job if you want." Adrien offered. 

"Nah, I prefer the music scene. Fashion is too crazy for me."

"Whatever you say."

* * *

"It was really good to see them again, it feels like it's been forever." Adrien stretched out on her chaise with all the feline grace of his alter ego. 

"It's been two weeks, but I know what you mean. Life's been crazy."

Tikki zipped out of Marinette's purse, Plagg following close behind. "You two should take Alya up on her idea! It sounds like a good plan."

"If we can't find her during patrol before the next attack, let's stick around a little longer afterwards so she can call out to us." Marinette suggested, laying down beside him. 

Adrien wrapped his arms around her, hugging her closer. "Sounds good to me. I'm glad the Ladyblog is going so well for her. It's too bad we can't help Nino too."

"Nino will manage without us. He was on that game show back when we were younger remember? People are already noticing him. And with his passion, I'm sure he'll make it."

"That's true. It seems like our lives revolve around our jobs now. I guess it's good we found things we love to do."

Frowning, Marinette shifted in his arms so she could look up at him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Did you change your mind about modeling? I thought you hated it."

"I never _hated_ it. It's just," Adrien shrugged, "it's not what I want to do, you know?"

"Then why are you? You said we all found things we love, but what about you?"

"I found you." He said it like that wasn't the most cheesy, embarrassing line she'd ever heard. It was unfair how he could do that. 

"That's not the same thing." Marinette pouted, determined not to let how cute he was being distract her. 

Adrien laughed, "Why not?" 

"Because I have you _and_ a job I love. You're getting ripped off."

He nuzzled the top of her head affectionately. "No, think of this as my temporary job; like Nino."

"Temporary? What do you want to be then?"

Adrien stopped his nuzzling, looking down at her curious eyes sheepishly. "A father. You still want kids, right?"

Marinette stretched her neck up to press a quick kiss to his lips. "In a few years when we get settled. But if you keep working like this, you'll never see the kids anyways."

"That's why I'm working so hard right now."

"Hm?"

"Since I'm still living with my dad, I can save my money. And I have most the pay from the jobs I worked in Lycee too. So I was thinking... If we saved enough- and if you were okay with it- I could maybe... Be a stay-at-home dad?"

Marinette laughed, hugging Adrien tighter. "You've been thinking that far ahead?"

"Well yeah," he was blushing now, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Marinette."

Was he trying to kill her with lovey-dovey words? "I like that you're thinking of our future, but don't forget to enjoy the present too, okay? I've missed you lately."

She was sure in that moment that the shear amount of love in her eyes must have matched his own. Her heart swelled with adoration for her partner. 

"As you wish, my Lady."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter without them being real parents and then we'll get to the children.  
> Okay announcement time! Some of you have already found it, but I've started the blog http://prouddadrien.tumblr.com/ in which I will be role-playing Dadrien (I'm really proud of how clean I made the blog look and I'm really satisfied with it all). This takes place within the Miraculous Parents universe, but is in a time a few years ahead of the fic. However, Miraculous Parents is a very episodic fic, so I stay in each year a few chapters before time-skipping to the next, meaning ProudDadrien's blog will fall behind in the timeline. I don't know if I'm making sense. Point is this fic moves fast time-wise. ProudDadrien moves slower. I think I'm using this fic to avoid the reality of finals and my own anxieties so I'm really into it and it basically consumes my every (happy) waking thought. My real life friends are probably getting tired of hearing me talk about it.   
> I don't know how to casually like things...  
> SO ANYWAYS! You know the spiel. Its the same every time, doesn't make it any less true though.  
> Thank you for reading. Comments, Constructive Criticism, and Suggestions all make me happy. If you want to come tell me all about your OC that you'd like to see make a cameo, stop on by. Or if you just want to tell me all about this incredible OC you have that you don't want to share with me, that's fine too. I like hearing about OCs.


	6. In which the kids get married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapters: Adrien and Marinette were paired for that health class raise a fake baby thing and find out their secret identities because of the doll (named Hugo). Marinette currently works for Gabriel since she already had big time connections making custom designs because of the stuff she made for Jagged Stone and later got attention for that. Adrien is working as a model to save up money. Alya is getting paid through sponsors on the Ladyblog and some occasional freelancing. She's also now the official agent for the Lucky Duo (she still does NOT know their identities). Nino just kind of job hops.
> 
>  
> 
> **Marinette and Adrien: The year the turned 19**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Adrienette is the type of couple to take _forever_ to get together, but then get married really quickly.

One day. 

Just one day completely free of akuma attacks- that's all Marinette wanted. 

Adrien had been a major sap for as long as they'd been dating, and it wasn't a stretch to say he'd likely dreamed about this day even more than she had. 

Fourteen year old Marinette would have _died_ if she had seen some of young Adrien's writing. Or his doodles. Or his dream board. 

Hell, _sixteen_ year old Marinette had nearly had a heart attack when she'd found out about her long time crush's obsession with her alter ego... Not that she could judge. 

It was fair to say that the reveal had been _quite_ enlightening. Adrien was more than she could have ever hoped and Chat was more than she had ever imagined. And both of them combined into one wonderful boy she was going to marry. 

And Marinette would be damned if she didn't do everything in her power to ensure Adrien had the most flawless wedding he could have wished for. 

But, something told her Adrien's dream wedding did not include fighting akumaized friends and family. Neither did hers for that matter. 

So, Marinette had been running interference all day. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Marinette had spent most of her wedding day trying to make everyone else around her extra happy. 

Nathalie needed a spot far away from everyone else where she didn't have to put up with Gabriel asking her to get stuff. Tom needed to fix things with the caterers. Her mother needed new shoes after her heel broke. Gabriel needed a better seat. Manon lost an earring. The list was endless if she was looking.

True, they didn't really _need_ those things- and it was unlikely they'd get akumaized over it- but you couldn't never be too prepared. She couldn't control all of Paris, but she sure as hell was going to make sure no nonsense happened at her own wedding. 

In an effort to make sure everyone's desires were catered to, Marinette had spent majority of her newly married hours away from her husband. But Adrien could wait. They had the rest of forever together and as much as she would love to just spend the evening by his side, she _had_ to make sure everything was perfect for him. 

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Marinette whirled around. Alya smirked at her best friend's panicked look. Unable to see everything at once, Marinette had enlisted Alya's help in monitoring the happiness of the wedding-goers. 

"Who is it?" Marinette gave her friend a look of intense seriousness. 

"Go to the back hall. They want to talk to you."

It must be really bad if Alya wasn't explaining anything. 

"Got it. Can you hold down the fort here?"

"Sure thing." Alya grinned, shaking her head. 

Power-walking across the room, Marinette looked around the hall. It was empty. She let the door close behind her, a strange sense that someone was watching her creeping up in her gut.

"Boo."

Marinette spun around, pressing the newcomer against the wall, arm to their throat before realizing who her would-be attacker was. "Oh, it's you." Relaxing, she loosening her death grip on Adrien's arm, pressing an apologetic kiss to his cheek. "Sorry, I'm kind of tense today."

Adrien smiled as she readjusted his suit. "I noticed. I had to ask Alya to get you to pay attention to me."

Sighing, Marinette leaned into him, hiding her face. "I just want everything to be perfect for you."

"I'm married to you, aren't I? How could this be any more perfect?"

Marinette pulled back to look up at him, fighting to keep a stupid grin off her face. "You're such a sap."

Adrien laughed, pulling her back in for a hug. "But I'm _your_ sap." 

A comfortable silence stretched between them as they stood, and Marinette slowly let the tension she'd been carrying around all day melt. 

"So, what would make our wedding _purr_ fect?"

Marinette chose to ignore the pun for both of their sakes. "Whatever makes you think it's perfect."

"Well then you're doing a horrible job." He stated matter of factly.

"What?!" Marinette yanked herself away again, batting away his hands as he reached out for her again. "What do you mean I'm doing a horrible job?"

"You've been avoiding me all day." Pouting, he did his best impression of Manon’s babydoll eyes.

"I've been trying to make sure everyone is happy!" She'd been working her butt off all day and _he didn't even appreciate it_?

"Bug," He reached out another hand, waiting for her to begrudgingly take it before he held her again, "Are _you_ happy?"

"Of course I am! We're really married now; I'm over the moon."

"I mean, are you happy running around taking care of everyone else."

"I..." There was no way she could honestly answer that she _liked_ running around like a paranoid mad woman.

"Why are you even doing it then?"

"Because!"

"Because...?" He waited, swaying them gently to the music playing in the main hall.

"Because you always try to make sure everything is perfect for dates and holidays and birthdays and I wanted to make something perfect for you this time."

Adrien grinned ridiculously at the blush that now covered her cheeks. "And what did you think my perfect wedding would entail if not my new bride?"

Marinette groaned, mumbling incoherently. 

"What was that?"

"I wanted to make sure we didn't have any akuma attacks."

Adrien laughed, pulling her as close as her bulky skirt would allow. "Even if we had to fight a thousand akumas, today would still be the best day of my life."

"Really?"

"Really. I love fighting by your side. I don't care how many times I have to take hits for you. I don't care how many dates are ruined by Hawkmoth messing us up. I fell in love with the klutzy girl who kicked a rock monster's butt and refused to back down. Every day I get to spend with you is wonderful for a new reason. If Hawkmoth _does_ bother us today, I look forward to seeing how you outmaneuver everyone." He kissed the top of her head, pure adoration for his new wife filling his expression. 

Marinette pouted. "Even when I try to be more romantic than you, you _still_ manage to beat me. Where do you get all these ridiculous lines from?"

Adrien's face sobered as he met her eyes with sudden seriousness. Marinette straightened, concerned by the change in tone. "You really want to know?" Marinette nodded, waiting with baited breath as Adrien leaned in so that they were forehead to forehead. "Anime."

Marinette sputtered indignantly at his trick, unable to contain her laughter. "Oh my god, you're such a dork!" 

He relished in her laughter, content in knowing he had caused the smile that now graced her face. 

"Fine. I'll stop with my akuma prevention patrol- on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You have to dance with me."

Adrien mock gasped. "My Lady, I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

As it turned out, the wedding did not need Marinette keeping her hyperactive eye on everyone to prevent akumas. The guests kindly did that on their own. Sitting down for dinner, Marinette cuddled against Adrien as they ate.

Gabriel stood, awkwardly calling the group's attention with a tap of his spoon. Adrien grinned at Marinette as his father cleared his throat.

"I'd like to make an announcement." The party quieted as they waited. "Adrien and Marinette have been..enlightening to watch grow together these past years. It has been clear to me from the very beginning that my son held Miss Marinette in great regard. And I have found that she seems to look at my son in much the same way he looks at her. I truly hope their marriage can be a happy one. It seems-as I'm sure anyone who has seen them together can agree- as if the two of them are made for each other. And I am... delighted that the two of them have decided to begin forever together."

It sounded formal and rehearsed, but it was a start. Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand, nuzzling closer.

"I have had the pleasure of seeing Miss Marinette's enthusiasm first hand during her work at my company. And while Adrien has never shown a passion for designing, it seems he has found someone else who has. I would like to keep my company in the family. And Miss Marinette is most definitely part of my son's family now."

Marinette looked up at Adrien, who was still grinning at her like an excited puppy.

"If she should accept, I would like to congratulate her marriage to my son by offering her a position as the heir to my company."

The table applauded while Marinette sat, wide eyed as she took in the new information. Adrien kissed her cheek, smile still stuck on his face. "Surprise."

* * *

Marinette collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to change out of her wedding gown. Adrien flopped down beside her.

"Did you like the surprise?"

"I can't believe you knew! I was supposed to be making today _your_ day."

"Why does it have to be a competition?" He laughed. "Why can't we both make the day special for each other?"

She rolled onto her side to face him. "Because it feels like I'm taking advantage of you. You're always giving me stuff."

"You give me stuff too." He poked her nose, content smile still on his face.

"But you give me more."

"That's because I like seeing you happy."

"I like seeing you happy too!"

"But seeing you happy makes me happy."

"I hate you."

"You love me."

Fighting to keep a stern face, Marinette found she quickly lost that battle, dissolving into giggles. "Yeah, I do. But still. I feel like I'm taking advantage of the fact that your father is a big brand. Like I'm some kind of gold digger."

"Well, you'd be a pretty terrible gold digger since I expect you to be making the money to support my lavish life as a stay at home dad."

She punched him lightly. "You know what I mean. Are you sure you don't mind that I'm working with your dad?"

"Marinette. You're really talented. My father wouldn't hire you just because I'm in love with you and he _definitely_ wouldn't promise you the entire company. I'm really proud of you."

"I love you. So much."

Adrien tapped his mouth in thought. "I think I might love you more."

Marinette threw a hand over her heart dramatically. "Mr. Cheng, is that a challenge?"

"I dare say it is, Mrs. Agreste."

"Oh, you are _so_ going down."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate the ending for all of these but my editor says their fine. I don't know if I trust her. Anyways! Next time the kiddos will start their parenting adventures (well kind of).  
> (Their last name is now Agreste-Cheng by the way)  
> And as usual: "Thank you for reading. Comments, Constructive Criticism, and Suggestions all make me happy. If you want to come tell me all about your OC that you'd like to see make a cameo, stop on by. Or if you just want to tell me all about this incredible OC you have that you don't want to share with me, that's fine too. I like hearing about OCs."


	7. In which Hugo has some competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapters: Adrienette have the Ladynoir reveal because of a fake doll they have to raise in health class named Hugo. Now they're married. 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **Marinette and Adrien: The year they turned twenty.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting Monday. I'm kind of dead inside and probably not in the best mindset to edit these like I should be. But I'm needy so I decided to go through and try to edit anyways so I could post this. So yeah.  
> I'm going to be real with you here. You know how some fanart is based off fics? This chapter is like the reverse of that. I saw fanart and I just went "yes I have to write that, it's so good!" So I'll link my inspiration in the end notes so I don't spoil anything. Yup.

"You haven't told him yet?" Alya sipped her smoothie, giving her best friend a look of disbelief. "Why? He's going to be over the moon."

"I know!" Marinette twisted the paper straw casing in her hands. "That's why I want to do something fun."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. One of those cute baby reveal things you see on Pinterest or something." The paper went to shreds under Marinette's nervous twisting. 

"You don't even _have_ a Pinterest." Alya pointed out. 

"But Adrien does, and he likes to show me dumb cat memes and sometimes I see other things on his feed too."

Her friend shook her head, sighing before she took another sip of her smoothie. "Remind me to get that boy on _real_ social media."

"Alya! Focus!"

"Honestly, it's still kind of hard for me to believe my little Marinette is already pregnant." Alya reached out, pinching her friend's cheek affectionately. 

Marinette swatted the hand away. "I'm older than you."

"By like, a month." She scoffed.

"Alya,” Marinette whined. “I can't keep stalling telling him. We were already trying for kids so he's been paying extra attention lately. He's going to notice I missed my period."

"Okay, that's weird." Alya reached over to take the paper out of Marinette’s hands.

"What? Nino wouldn't notice if you missed yours?" She gave it up, moving onto shredding her napkin.

Alya chose to ignore it. "Are you kidding? He probably wouldn't realize if I was pregnant until I was _actually giving birth_."

"You're exaggerating."

"Only a little. He works so much we don't get to hang out that often."

Marinette grinned. "Oh, because you never do that."

"The Ladyblog is not work." Alya rested a hand lightly over her heart, striking a serious pose. "It's a way of life."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say." 

"Seriously though, he'd probably start the waterworks and break out the cake even if your big reveal was just 'hey by the way, I'm pregnant'."

Marinette's head bonked against the back of the booth as she let out a frustrated huff. "I _know_. That's why this has to be special."

"Are you still doing that thing where you try to beat him at being a cute couple?"

"I'm not trying to beat him!"

"But it is a competition?"

Marinette leaned forward slightly. "Did he say it was a competition? Damn it, I thought he'd been getting cuter lately."

"Girl, you have a problem."

"I know! He's always winning."

" _No_ , not what I meant. He's your husband, not your competition. Stop trying to pit yourself against him."

"I'm not... I mean..." Marinette sighed. "It's not that I'm trying to beat him. I just feel like he's always doing things for me and I have to make sure he remembers I love him too. I know I crowd _our_ apartment with _my_ sewing supplies. And he does the majority of the cooking and the cleaning-"

"Because he _likes_ that stuff."

"Still. I want to do something special for him. Something he'd _really_ like."

Alya grinned, eyes lighting up dangerously. "You could-"

"For the pregnancy reveal, Alya!"

She batted her eyelashes in mock innocence. "Of course."

Marinette gave her friend a look that made it clear exactly how much she trusted her. "I want something cute that I can actually tell my parents about."

"You're no fun." Alya stabbed her smoothie with her straw, thinking. "What about some sort of pun?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. What are some euphemisms for pregnant? Eating for two? Bun in the oven?"

Marinette jumped up. "Alya, you're a genius!"

Alya took a long sip, shrugging. "I know."

* * *

Marinette could hardly keep her excitement contained through dinner. Luckily, she was a good enough actress that Adrien still didn't suspect a thing, so they talked and ate as usual. And, as usual, at the end of the meal, Adrien took her dishes to the sink to start washing them. 

"I have to call Alya, I'll help you when I'm done, okay?"

"Alright, tell her I said hi." Adrien smiled back at her, already scrubbing the plates. 

Turning on Skype, Alya's face appeared on Marinette's computer screen. 

"Everything ready? I can't wait to see his face."

"I'm getting kind of nervous."

"Girl,-"

"I know, I know! He'll love it. Okay." Marinette took a deep breath, raising her voice so Adrien could hear. "Adrien, I forgot something in the oven. Can you get it?"

"Sure thing, Princess."

Alya and Marinette wore matching grins as they heard Adrien move around the kitchen. 

"There's just a bun in the oven?" A beat of silence. The girls waited. 

Marinette was greeted by Adrien _tackling her_ with a squeal of excitement. Alya laughed as Marinette tried to catch her balance. Pulling back, Marinette barely had time to register the tears of joy already filling her husband's eyes before he began peppering her face with kisses. 

"You're pregnant? When did you find out?" He seemed to bounce, unable to stay still. Marinette had known he would be excited, but she hadn't realized _how_ excited. 

"The doctor confirmed it yesterday, but I took the at home test last week."

Adrien let out another incoherent sound of happiness. Alya’s laugh sounded from the computer, "I'm going to sign off and give you guys some privacy. Congratulations guys!"

“Bye, Alya!” The couple waved at the screen before Adrien turned back to Marinette. 

"We have to start preparing! I'll call my dad and see if he still has Hugo's old crib in storage."

"Wait- Hugo the _doll_?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, already checking his pockets for his phone.

“You kept those?" Marinette shook her head in disbelief, a smile still lighting up her face. “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

Adrien gave her a serious look. “Marinette, I couldn’t have just gotten rid of them. I had to think of our next child.”

“Adrien.” She took his face between her hands, pressing their noses together as she made sure to keep his eyes on her. “Listen to me. We are getting a living, breathing child. You don’t need to keep obsessing over a doll we got in health class.”

He laughed, pulling her in for another hug. “You’re amazing, my Lady.”

“You’re just as incredible, kitty.” Giving him another kiss, Marinette grinned up at her partner. “Let’s go tell, Plagg.”

Adrien’s eyes widened with his smile. “He doesn’t know yet?”

“Nope. Only Tikki and Alya knew.”

“He’s going to freak out.”

“Bet you twenty bucks he gets as excited as you.” Marinette offered.

“Oh please, Plagg is a total tsundere. He won’t admit to anything.”

“Is it a bet or not, dork?”

“You’re so on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by: http://toriitorii.tumblr.com/post/140696343551/good-luck-trying-to-convince-me-this-isnt-how-she Honestly, Toriitorii's Dadrien and Mominette art kills me. I love it. I live for it. It fuels me. Everyone should put more Dadrien and Mominette in this fandom. Bullysquadess has miracusims and currently they have children and let me tell you I am a mess for domestic fluff. Does anyone have more Dadrien and Mominette fics? Because I need them. I'm trash for them. (I say this like I have the willpower to read things anymore. But soon I will so there's no harm in stocking up on fics to read now, right?)
> 
> They're such young parents. Again, Nino and Alya will be waiting LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE until they are more stable in their careers (more like until Nino is more stable in his career ahahahaha I'm so sorry, my poor music son). I guess to be fair Adrienette already _have_ stable incomes. But still. They're going to be the young parents. (All the PTA moms will be asking Adrien on how he manages to handle wrinkles so well). SO NOW THAT THAT SUPER LONG PROLOGUE IS DONE WE CAN START....
> 
> Kind of.
> 
> Baby number one will come soon. 
> 
> And can there really be a prologue when there's no plot? And when I continue to introduce new characters all the time? Who knows. Not me. What's important is I have an outline and so I have some illusion of structure. I hate how short these chapters are ending up though. Who knows man. Who knows.
> 
> And as usual: "Thank you for reading. Comments, Constructive Criticism, and Suggestions all make me happy. If you want to come tell me all about your OC that you'd like to see make a cameo, stop on by. Or if you just want to tell me all about this incredible OC you have that you don't want to share with me, that's fine too. I like hearing about OCs." 
> 
> You can come talk to me on tumblr, or if email is more convenient, I may have gotten a bit out of hand with the prouddadrien social media thing so... prouddadrien@gmail.com is something I have. I've sunken low. It's bad. I don't even know what I'm doing with any of them. I just have them. His pinterest is weirdly popular and I keep having to delete emails about all the people who repinned something from his board. But honestly, I shouldn't be surprised. Of course it would be pinterest that he uses regularly. _Of course._ I spend hours putting together a tumblr for him when it's the pinterest I should really be invested in. This chapter was written before I made any of the social media stuff for him though. I'm just babbling now. ALRIGHT GOODBYE


	8. In which Adrien needs to calm down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Marinette is pregnant. "Hugo" is the baby doll Adrienette had to fake raise in Lycee that ended up with them revealing their identities. Also, referencing back to something I said very briefly in chapter five, Alya is Ladynoir's official agent, but she still doesn't know who they are.
> 
> **Marinette and Adrien are 20**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooo sorry about missing last week. This one needed a lot of editing and I was not in the mood. But I fixed it now (and my fixed I mean I made it more than 900 words. For me to post a chapter I need to at least write over 1000. I have standards for myself.) Yupyupyup.... Mhm that's about all I have to say.

Marinette was excited to have a baby. She really was. The idea of a baby girl made her heart soar, and the fact that it was Adrien’s made the entire process even better.

So Marinette could deal with the morning sickness, she could deal with her bladder shrinking to the size of a pea and her hormones wrecking havoc on her mind. And she could do it all while kicking akuma butt.

What she could _not_ deal with was the way Adrien treated her like she was some kind of fragile piece of glass.

Ladybug snapped the akuma into her yo-yo, purifying it quickly before throwing her lucky charm into the air. Chat held his fist out for their usual mission end. Glaring at him, Ladybug yanked her partner off the scene, ignoring the cries of reporters below them. If they needed anything, they could contact Alya. Ladybug had more pressing matters to deal with.

“What’s wrong, my Lady?” Chat looked up at her innocently as they stopped in an alleyway not too far from their apartment. 

“What’s wrong? Maybe the fact you kept taking hits for me?” She was fuming. Adrien had been being Extra Careful around her lately already, but now it was carrying into work. Now it was a problem.

“I always take hits for you.” Chat still had the nerve to give her that wide-eyed look.

“That’s a whole other can of worms I’m not in the mood to talk about right now. You take hits for me when I’m about to go under akuma control.”

“Yes.”

“There was _no_ danger of me falling into Hawkmoth’s hands. Yet you continue to jump in front of me every time that akuma victim so much as _glanced_ at me!”

Chat shrunk in front of her, letting his transformation wear off. “You could have been hurt.”

“ _Adrien_. You’ve tried to keep me from patrols all week. You’ve repeatedly undermined every attempt I make to do chores around the apartment. I’m not going to break!” Marinette ignored the flash of light made by her detransformation, her anger still fueling her as the kwamis watched nervously. “Do you not trust me to take care of myself?”

Adrien shook his head. “Of course I trust you! You’re one of the strongest people I know.”

“Then stop treating me like I’ll fall apart if I have to do so much as fold my own laundry!”

“He’s trying to protect his kitten.” Plagg’s ears flattened in irritation. 

“Plagg, they have to work things out themselves!” Tikki tugged at the cat kwami’s arm with a hurried whisper.

“I don’t have time for this right now. I’m going back to work.” Marinette began to walk off, stopped by Adrien’s frantic hand outstretched. Turning back to face him, Marinette made sure to keep her eyes on his. “I don’t like abusing my position to leave early. I’ll be back at my usual time and then we can talk about this. Go back to your photoshoot.” She tried to sound reassuring. Even with her anger still bubbling, she didn’t want to make him unnecessarily paranoid. “ _I’ll come back_ , I promise. We both need time to cool off.”

Shooting her a worried smile, Adrien nodded. “Okay.”

* * *

Adrien was already waiting for her when she got home, hands nervous as he watched her come in. “I made dinner.”

“Thank you.” Setting down her bag, Marinette grabbed cookies and cheese for the kwamis while Adrien set the table. She was still angry, but it wasn’t as if he was doing it on purpose; she knew that. Taking a few hours to work to get out of her hair-pulling level irritation helped sort through some of her crazier lines of thinking. And being back at the apartment, surrounded by the baby supplies Adrien had already had from their time with Hugo in Lycee, as well the plethora of parenting books sitting on their shelf that he read for _fun_ helped put things in perspective. Her being upset about this wasn’t going away until Adrien stopped tripping over himself to make sure she didn’t have to so much as lift a finger, but yelling and screaming would get them nowhere, and it would make her feel that much more shitty later when he didn’t yell back. 

Pulling in her chair, Marinette saw he had made her favorite dish. 

Adrien just smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t know what you were craving today, but I figured we can’t go wrong with a classic right?”

Marinette sighed, reaching across their little table to grab his hand. “Adrien. I’m not mad.” 

“Just disappointed?” There was a certain amount of self-depreciation behind his joke that made her frown.

“I’m just irritated. I’m pregnant, not crippled. Why are you acting so weird?”

“I’m not acting weird.”

Marinette gave him a flat look. “Yesterday you wouldn’t let me cook dinner because you were worried I’d fall on stove and hurt myself.”

“You make it sound stupid when you say it like that.” Adrien avoided her gaze. She had not spent the last two hours doing calming breathing exercises for him to worm his way out of the conversation with non-answers. 

“Come on, talk to me. Is this about what Plagg said?” 

“No.” Adrien sighed. “A little. I _know_ you’ll be fine. I know the baby will be fine. But I see you out there working every chance you get and then you fight akuma because, apparently, Hawkmoth doesn’t accept maternity leave as a proper reason to stop akumizing people.” Marinette laughed and Adrien loosened up a bit more. “You’re always so independent. I just want to be more useful, I guess.”

“Kitty, I rely on you all the time. I couldn’t work as hard as I do if it wasn’t for the fact I knew you’d be at home. I couldn’t fight akuma if I didn’t know you were right there behind me if I fell. My life would be hell if you weren’t here.”

"I'm your safety net." He laughed a little at the idea. Chat Noir, the reckless tom cat, as the safety net of Paris' cool and logical heroine. 

"You're my _home_ , but I don't want to be smothered. And I doubt the baby will either."

Adrien smiled, eyes settling on her baby bump. "If she's anything like her mother, she'll never sit still long enough for me to smother her."

"I don't know about all that." Marinette squeezed his hand one last time before drawing back to pick up her fork. "But I do know she matches my appetite already."

Picking up his own fork, Adrien brought his eyes back up to her own. "We shouldn’t starve her then."

The conversation wasn’t over completely, she knew. It wasn’t going to be that easy for Adrien to stop coddling her, but they’d get there the same way they got through everything else. Together.

And for tonight, that was all she could ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beauty of communication. NEXT TIME THE BABY IS COMING I SWEAR IM IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING IT NOW. But I felt like this conversation was necessary. Lets be real, they're probably going to have to have it every time she gets pregnant, but I don't think I'll rewrite it every time because then I'd get repetitive. 
> 
> Yes I'm copy pasting this every time, don't judge me, I can only think of so many ways to say the same thing and I like the way I put it here. It doesn't make it any less true: "Thank you for reading. Comments, Constructive Criticism, and Suggestions all make me happy. If you want to come tell me all about your OC that you'd like to see make a cameo, stop on by. Or if you just want to tell me all about this incredible OC you have that you don't want to share with me, that's fine too. I like hearing about OCs."


	9. In which a baby is born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Marinette was pregnant. That's all you really need to remember for this to make sense. 
> 
> **Marinette and Adrien: 20 years old**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *screams because I hate the fact all my writing is so short but don't know where to elaborate without it seeming forced because I have nothing more to say*

Marinette smiled tiredly at Alya and Nino as they came into the hospital room, Gabriel trailing awkwardly behind them. Adrien beamed brightly at them from beside her before turning his attention back to the bundled, red faced baby in his arms. If they had come even two minutes earlier, they would have gotten to see him crying over how beautiful she was. Luckily, they’d all calmed down a bit.

"Hey girl, how're you holding up?" Alya squeezed her friend’s shoulder gently. 

"She was a real trooper." Tom said, pride swelling in his voice. 

"Thirteen hours. It took this little bugger thirteen hours from the time Adrien dragged me in."

Sabine chuckled. "Don't you complain. I was in labor for eighteen hours with you."

Marinette shot her mother a horrified look. "I'm so sorry."

Pressing a kiss to her daughter's sweaty forehead, Sabine smiled. "You were worth every second of it."

Adrien's attention snapped up towards Nino suddenly. Carefully, he shifted the baby into Tom's waiting arms. 

"Finally going to share with the grandparents, I see." Tom teased, looking down at his new granddaughter happily. 

"Only because Nino promised he'd bring my camera." 

Shaking his head, Nino dug through his bag with a rueful smile. After being handed the camera, Adrien wasted no time turned it on and recording the scene before him. 

"Turn that off." Marinette complained, drawing the attention Adrien's camera. 

"But, my Lady, I want to capture this moment forever." He leaned towards her, videotape zooming closer. 

Marinette batted at it, barely missing. "I'm all gross." 

Getting closer again, Adrien gave her a quick kiss. "You just made a tiny human. No one expects you to be put together perfectly. And I want to remember every second of this." He could tell she wasn’t in the mood for being told she was always beautiful. Even if he thought Marinette was beautiful, he could still admit she was sweaty and tired, probably not the most flattering time to get your picture taken. But this Marinette was one he loved too, and he didn’t want to forget it.

"Why didn't you just film the actual birth?" Sabine asked as Tom passed the baby to her, holding back a laugh as Adrien zeroed in on the movement. 

"He asked. I vetoed." Marinette huffed affectionately. 

"Next time." Adrien shot her a hopeful smile, kitten eyes and all. 

Marinette rolled her eyes. "We'll see."

Alya took the seat next to Marinette that Adrien had vacated. "So, you up for getting some drinks tonight then?"

Marinette glared, "Don't even joke about that."

"Now that you're a mom, you can't have fun?" Alya teased. 

"I'll kick you out of my room." She threatened, only half joking. The thought of drinks right after having pushed that child out of her through hours of contractions made her horribly sick. 

Alya started to retort, but both girls were distracted by Nino's distressed argument with Adrien. 

"Dude! What if I drop it." Nino’s eyes were wild, looking around desperately for someone to come save him.

"First of all, she's a _her_ , not an it. Second of all, if you drop her, we can't be friends anymore." Adrien didn't sound like he was joking, but he kept up filming, camera focus on Sabine as she offered Nino the baby. 

"You won't drop her, don't worry. Here, support her head like this- there you go!" Sabine took a step back, letting Nino have a turn in Adrien's excessive documentation of everyone who held his daughter. 

"She's so..." Nino stared at the baby, then looked up at his friends in awe. 

"Adorable? Amazing? Perfect? Wonderful? Cute?" Adrien rapid-fired the suggestions. 

" _Tiny._ And she looks like a little alien." Nino cooed. “Like she could get beamed up to the motherboard any second now.”

"Emma is not an alien. She's an _angel_." Adrien pouted at Nino's choice of adjectives as Alya confiscated the baby.

"So you guys are sticking with the name Emma then?" She asked, changing the conversation. 

"Emma Agreste-Cheng. I think it's a good name." Marinette smiled as Alya came back to sit next to her, watching her newborn with pride and love untempered by her exhaustion. 

"Of course it is." Adrien grinned. "You came up with it, after all."

* * *

"We're home." Marinette called out, only to be instantly tackled by both Kwamis. 

"Is this your kitten?" Plagg asked, trying- and failing- to sound indifferent as he peered down at the bundle in Marinette's arms. 

"Our _baby_." Marinette corrected, smiling as Plagg nuzzled her cheek in greeting. 

"Same thing." The Kwami waved off her words, unconcerned with the difference as he inspected the child from Marinette’s shoulder. Tikki, on the other hand, had already floated to just above Emma’s chest watching the baby take in her surroundings. 

"No, a kitten is for cats. Humans have babies. Children. Kids."

"Kid...Kitten...Kidten!" Adrien joined the conversation excitedly as he helped carry the rest of their things into the apartment. 

"What?" 

Tikki gave him a confused look. "Marinette just said that Emma isn't a kitten."

"No, a _kid_ ten- get it? It's a pun!" Adrien was practically bouncing with the possibilities of his latest pun.

Marinette rolled her eyes, smiling over at him. "You're-"

A buzz from their phones interrupted them, alerting the happy family of the one thing they had all been dreading.

An akuma. 

"He couldn't have waited until tomorrow at least?" Marinette's good mood faded in an instant. "Tikki-"

"You're not going out there." Adrien cut her off. 

"Don't be ridiculous. Women used to go back to work they day after they gave birth. And you can't purify the akuma without me." 

"Adrien is right, Marinette. I'm not letting you go out there." Now they were ganging up on her? And she thought it had been bad when she was pregnant. 

"And who's going to watch Emma if you do?" Adrien pointed out. 

"Well, we can't just let the akuma roam around and wreck havoc out there!"

"So then Adrien will just have to take this one by himself."

"Wait-what?" There was _no way_ Marinette had just heard that.

Tikki looked at her holder sheepishly. "We didn't want to tell you unless it was necessary but...Adrien and I had already planned for Hawkmoth attacking when you were in labor."

"So I'm just supposed to sit here while Adrien goes out and fights on his own?"

"Sorry, bug." To their credit, Adrien and Tikki _did_ look sorry. “Emma really does need you right now though, and I know you’ll be back in action before Paris even notices.”

Pouting only slightly, Marinette let Adrien take out her earrings, watching him transform. 

"I'll be back before you know it." Ladybug promised before slipping out. 

Marinette looked down at Plagg as he poked Emma's cheeks curiously. "You aren't going with them?"

Plagg shrugged. "Why put in the extra work? I'm sure Tikki can handle it."

Marinette held back her laughter at Plagg's nonchalant answer. Despite Plagg's complaints, Marinette knew laziness wasn't what kept him by her side instead of out with Adrien. 

Call it mother's intuition, but Marinette was sure that Emma and Plagg would get along great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized today that the next chapter will be the Father's Day chapter... RIGHT AS ITS FATHERS DAY IN REAL LIFE! AND I DIDN"T EVEN PLAN THAT!!!!!!!! It's just the way my outline ended up working out and I love it. I'm trying to work on writing Emma as a real baby instead of as a prop. It's hard. I don't interact with small children very often because they frighten me. And I have the terrible habit of never knowing the ages of people. I recently realized I've been telling people my brothers are nine for three years now. Age is weird.  
> SPEAKING OF AGE THESE DORKS ARE SUCH YOUNG PARENTS UGH.  
> So as per usual I love all your comments, constructive criticism, suggestions for things you want to see either here or on Dadrien's blog (which is still in the future of this story), or if you want to see your OC in here (I haven't gotten to the part where I need them yet but when the kids get a bit older and start interacting with the Outside more you'll see). Just be prepared for me to bother you with a lot of questions and then suddenly become quiet because I'm afraid I'm bothering you and you suddenly hate me. Thank you for reading, it means the world to me.


	10. In which Adrien has his first father's day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter: Adrienette is married and has one beautiful baby girl, Emma. That's pretty much all you need to remember
> 
>  
> 
> **The year Marinette and Adrien are age 21. Emma: 10 months old**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something is off about this but I don't know what. Anyways here it is, as promised.

It was luck and a whole lot of stalling that allowed Marinette to complete her plan. 

Operation give Adrien the best first Father's Day ever was going right on schedule-mostly. 

"Can I come out of the bedroom yet?" Adrien pouted from the other side of the door. 

"One more minute!" Marinette had never resented his morning person tendencies more than she did today. It made everything much harder when she had to get up and do all the set up quietly enough that she didn't wake him up. And it was because she had been trying to be quiet that she ended up moving slower than she'd anticipated. 

But honestly, who naturally woke up at _six in the morning_? And he had the nerve to say this was ‘sleeping in’!

Plagg snickered as he floated lazily above Emma. "What if we just made him stay there for the rest of the day?"

Tikki gave the cat Kwami a disapproving look. "Plagg, don't be mean." 

Marinette ignored them both, hurriedly finishing the last touches before letting out a breath of relief and calling out to her husband. "Okay, I'm done! You can come out now." 

Adrien practical burst into the living room, taking in the banner she'd hung, the balloons and streamers she’d prepared, the breakfast she'd laid out, and, of course, Emma, dressed in her very own little Chat Noir onesie. 

Making strange noises of excitement she’d long ago gotten used to, Adrien was already closed to tears as he came over to take Emma. "She's adorable!"

Marinette laughed. "You say that almost every day." Giving him a quick kiss, she steered him into his seat, sliding the plate of still-warm croissants closer to him. 

Adrien was still too busy taking their daughter in to properly pay attention to the food. "You even gave her a tiny bell!" He flicked the collar, catching Emma’s attention with the ringing and soon she was absorbed with the little tinkling sound she so loved to play with on her father’s suit.

"I like to be thorough. Besides, I know my partner’s costume like the back of my hand.”

“So that’s why you were looking at me so much lately.” Adrien commented, breaking off a tiny piece of croissant to hand to Emma. The little girl happily abandoned the bell to take it, munching on the buttery treat before reaching for the fruit on the plate with semi-coherent babbling sounds.

“You’re my husband, you dork. I look at you all time.” Marinette shook her head as Adrien helped bring Emma closer to the plate, watching as her daughter mashed the cut bananas in her hand and around her mouth. It was a good thing Marinette had decided to skip on the little mittens she’d made to complete the outfit, but regardless of the fact that the little girl’s hands were free, there was still banana on other parts of her suit now too. “And she used Cataclysm already.”

“First of all, I can tell the difference between you checking me out and you scheming.” 

“Hey! I wasn’t _scheming_.” Marinette argued good naturedly.

“Two, this is the _cutest_ Cataclysm I’ve ever seen. Do you want a grape, Emma?” Always up for whatever shiny new thing was in her reach, Emma stuck out the hand not smooshing the banana onto her outfit and reached for the grape. “Can you say please?”

Emma, stubborn child that she was, made several attempts to grab the fruit, even standing on Adrien’s lap. But when she found she needed both hands on his shirt to hold herself up, the plan was quickly abandoned. Giving in, Emma babbled her usual attempt at Adrien’s words before merrily accepting the grape. 

“Can we do this all day?” Adrien asked, already armed with another cut grape for Emma. 

“Our parents are coming over, kitty. You’re going to have to share.” Marinette laughed, taking her seat next to Adrien to play with Emma too.

“ _Your_ parents.” He made the correction casually, as if it made no difference to him, but Marinette could see the way the light in his eyes dulled just a bit. 

Softening her voice, Marinette readjusted Emma’s cat-eared beanie. “He said he was going to come, what happened?”

“Something came up at work so he can’t make it.” Adrien smiled as Emma grabbed the beanie with her banana covered hands, further making a mess of herself.

“Bullshit. I work with him, he really thought I would buy that overused excuse?” Marinette could feel her anger rising.

Tikki landed gently on Adrien’s shoulder, doing her best to comfort him in her tiny form. Not wanting to seem overly sentimental, Plagg instead turned his attention to Emma, trying to keep her busy and happy with food while the couple talked.

“Bug, it’s fine.” 

“It’s not fine! He’s avoiding us again and you deserve better.” Did Gabriel honestly think he could keep pulling this every time his son invited him over? He had barely even seen his granddaughter, always filled with some excuse why he was too busy. That might have worked back when Adrien was younger, but now that Marinette worked side by side with the man, she knew _exactly_ how busy he was. And while it was true he had a lot on his plate, it wasn’t enough to explain why he couldn’t be there on days like today.

Adrien kissed her cheek, snapping her out of her rage filled train of thought. “He’d probably just sit in the corner if he came anyways. Don’t worry about me.”

Sensing the attention of the room had shifted away from her, Emma pulled herself upright, standing for few moments with Adrien’s support before she flopped back down. Shaking her head at her daughter’s distraction, Marinette smiled, letting Gabriel be pushed to the back of her mind. He didn’t deserve a single minute occupying her thoughts when she had such a wonderful family in front of her. 

“She’s already made a mess of the outfit and my parents haven’t even arrived yet.”

“You took pictures, right?” His tone was grave, as if he had suddenly remembered a crucial point that could make or break his day. Knowing the way he photographed everything, Marinette figured he was only half joking.

“Like he doesn’t have enough pictures of her already.” Plagg rolled his eyes.

Chuckling, she nodded. “They’re all in your camera, don’t worry.”

* * *

Tom and Sabine entered the apartment with cake in their arms and smiles on their faces. “Happy father’s day, Adrien.”

“Happy father’s day to you too, Tom!” Adrien laughed as he was enveloped by his father-in-law’s bear hug. 

Marinette shifted Emma in her arms to give her parents a hug too. “I’m glad you guys could make it.”

“Of course! And with it being Adrien’s first father’s day, it’s crucial I pass on my wisdom.”

Sabine shook her head, a wide smile on her face. “At least wait until Gabriel arrives.”

“Not coming.” Marinette bounced Emma tersely. 

Catching her daughter’s mood, Sabine quickly shifted the conversation again. “Well then, since we’re all here, why don’t we eat some cake before your father starts embarrassing you.”

“Aw, you guys didn’t have to do that.” Adrien took down serving wear, neatly cutting portions for all of them. 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s our _treat_.” Tom winked to emphasize his point, looking much too pleased when Adrien burst out laughing at the pun. 

“Please, don’t start.” Marinette groaned, but it was hard to keep the grin off her face.

Sabine patted her daughter’s shoulder sympathetically. “Just wait until you see what your father got for him.”

Adrien perked up as he sat the cake on the table. “You guys got me something to do with puns? What is it?”

Ignoring his daughter’s groan, Tom took a small wrapped package out of Sabine’s purse, proudly handing it to Adrien. “Open it.”

“Cake first?” Marinette attempted to delay the inevitable, but it seemed no one was on her side with this one, even her own mother had changed her mind at the look on Adrien’s face. 

Carefully taking off the wrapping paper, Adrien stared at the present in awe, reading the title out loud. “The Ultimate Book of Dad Jokes.” Looking over at Tom, Adrien’s eyes were misted in wonder. “You’re really letting me keep this?”

Tom nodded, the picture of a sagely father. “My annotated copy. Use it well.”

“I,” Adrien was speechless, carefully thumbing through the worn pages filled with puns that had been scribbled in along the margins. “I will. Thank you.” He shook his head, holding the book as if it were fragile and precious. “This is the second nicest thing anyone has ever given me.”

Sabine raised an eyebrow. “Second? What was the first.”

“Emma.” Adrien stroked his daughter’s head, giving his wife a grateful smile. 

“If you don’t stop being so sappy, you’re going to make me cry. And Emma still has a present for you and her grandpa.” Leaning into her husband, Marinette was glad that his father wasn’t here for once. Because as much as she tried to make him, Gabriel wasn’t part of the family. He couldn’t make Adrien light up like this. But, fortunately her parents _could_. She was glad that even with him still working modeling shifts she got to see him smile every day. If she could have it her way, that smile would never leave. 

“The onesie wasn’t the present?” Adrien asked, tilting his head to cuddle closer to her too.

“Nope. Now finish your cake or neither of you get the gift.”

Tom tapped the table, a thoughtful look on his face.

“What’s wrong, dad?” Marinette took a bite of the cake, waiting.

“Nothing, I was just trying to think of a good re- _torte_.” Tom gestured at the slice in front of him, grinning as Adrien caught on.

“I’m going to leave this table _and_ my cake if you make another pun in my house.” Marinette couldn’t keep the grin off her face even as she threatened him.

“Oh come on, lovebug. You wouldn’t _dessert_ us.” Adrien burst out laughing at his own joke, high-fiving Tom across the table.

“That’s it, I’m leaving.” Standing, she took Emma and walked into the bedroom.

“Marinette, wait! Come back.” The dork still had the nerve to be laughing over his own puns.

She did come back, two gift bags in hand. Setting them on the table, Marinette pouted as she rocked Emma. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

A mischievous grin was already growing on his face. “L-”

“Don’t you dare make another pun at me. Open your present.”

Relenting, Adrien and Tom opened their gifts together, both lighting up at the sight of little Emma hands and feet imprinted in clay; the little girl’s name spelt out in colorful stones.

“Thank you, Marinette. It’s wonderful.” Tom smiled at the stone. “Soon, she won’t be this tiny anymore. Can you believe how fast they grow up?”

“We should have been doing this for months. She’s already grown so much.” Adrien brushed against the indentions, looking over at his daughter’s tiny hands.

“I thought you would say that, and I’ve actually been doing them every month.” Marinette admitted.

“And you didn’t let me help?! Where are they?”

“Alya has them in storage for me. We don’t have the space here for me to keep them hidden that long.”

“We have to hang all of them.”

“They’re for a garden, not the wall.”

“Marinette,” Adrien met her eyes seriously. “We need a garden.”

Shaking her head, Marinette cut off a piece of his cake, stealing it for herself. “We need a real house for that. Now eat your cake before I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, Gabriel is probably the closest thing to a plot I have in this fic. Throughout my (fifteen freaking page) outline is just "dammit Gabriel stop that and interact with them" dispersed among the different chapters. Plus that one thing I do.  
> But that's in the future, don't worry about that. We have 40 chapters to go until the kind of plot thing even happens, I just counted. Why do I have so many? I need to get my inspiration back so I can write these faster. I currently have 101 chapters planned (including the ones I've already posted). Why am I like this? Who knows.  
> So this is before Dadrien quits modeling for full time dadding. It'll be a thing that's directly talked about in the chapter where he does. They have money. They could probably buy a house if they really wanted. But Marinette wants to be in a better place career wise so Adrien is still doing (less frequent) modeling for now.  
> So, if you want to suggest things to add to my ridiculous outline (or I could use it for my Dadrien blog depending on the suggestion, since some ideas work better for one over the other), I'd love to hear it. If you want to see your OC join in as family/friends (once we get deeper into this, you'll understand why I keep asking for them) feel free to message me here or on tumblr (just know if you message me here I will try to find you on tumblr so that I don't spam you in my comment section because that's just a weird place to talk). Just be prepared for me to be a little awkward. Or just jump right into "LOOK AT MY CHILD I LOVE THEM" and watch that awkwardness fade away while we geek out into the sunset. Constructive criticism, comments, and the fact that you're reading this is very much appreciated. Whether you guys celebrate father's day or not, I hope you have a good day!


	11. In which Adrien is a dork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapters: Adrienette is married and has one beautiful baby girl, Emma. That's pretty much all you need to remember
> 
>  
> 
> **The year Marinette and Adrien are 21. Emma: 10-12 months**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There really is no excuse for why this took so long. I've had it written since the last chapter was posted I just didn't feel like editing and posting it. But finally here I am posting it. I will try to stop being a butthead and post it on time next week.

**T minus eight weeks**

Adrien rushed into Marinette's office. "Bug! It's an emergency." 

Keeping her hands steady and eyes on the paper in front of her Marinette smiled. "Party emergency or real emergency?"

Pouting, Adrien sighed. "Party emergency. But that's a valid emergency!"

Marking where she left off, Marinette stood to kiss her worried husband. "I know. But we still have two months until Emma turns one and you already monopolized my lunch break. I promise we can do it after work, okay?"

Adrien tried to look mad, but it was hard when she grinned up at him like that. "You're making fun of me."

"No, I know this is important to you. I think it's adorable."

Plagg snickered from hiding spot, only to be shushed by Tikki. 

Studiously ignoring his Kwami, Adrien relented, peering at the stacks of paper sorted haphazardly on her desk. "Getting ready for the September issue?"

Rolling her eyes, Marinette nodded as she sat herself at her desk again. "Your father is absolutely anal about deadlines. If you guys weren't home to keep me sane, I think he might kill me."

Adrien gave her a sympathetic smile, pulling out a chair to sit across from her. "You said that last year."

"And it's still true." She gave him a confused look. "Are you done for the day?"

"Yeah, right now they just have me as a back-up model. They still want me stick around a little longer just in case though. Mind if I hang out in here?"

"As long as you don't mind if I ignore you."

He didn't. Adrien loved being around Marinette when she worked. She went into this trance where she was totally focused on the task at hand. Then sometimes- though he didn't always catch it- she'd look over at him and smile. 

It was nice. It was _Marinette_ , completely in her element. And for all her jokes about his father trying to kill her with work, he knew there was still that part of her- the same part that made her such an excellent Ladybug- that thrived on this. 

Giving her one more smile, Adrien got busy with his own planning. 

* * *

Gently lowering Emma into her crib for the night, Marinette turned to Adrien. "So what was the emergency, hot stuff?"

A horrified look crossed his face. "How did I forget, oh Marinette, what are we going to do?"

"You're gonna have to be more specific, Kitty."

"The guest list! When I was making it, I realized Emma doesn't have any friends her own age!"

Marinette shrugged. "None of our friends have kids."

"Who is she going to play with?" 

"Didn't one of those parenting books you gave me to read say that babies are still processing the concept of sharing and playing together at this age? And that attention from other people- usually adults- was perfectly acceptable for socializing them?"

"I-" Adrien blinked, relaxing. "Yeah."

"So I'm sure she'll be fine." Marinette assured him. 

"Yeah. And a bunch of the moms on Pinterest were saying they mostly kept it to small gatherings for family and friends anyways." 

Giggling, Marinette nodded. "Feeling better?"

"Mhm." Adrien gave her an appreciative kiss. "Thanks."

"No problem, Kitty. Oh, have you picked which theme we're doing yet?"

Adrien's eyes widened. "Marinette-!"

 

**T minus seven weeks**

"Okay Emma. Pick which picture you want to be your birthday theme." Adrien took out the cards, carefully setting them out. 

"Are you seriously picking her theme like this?" Plagg snarked as he watched them. 

"Hush. Alright Emma, show daddy which one you want. Superheroes?" He pointed to the first card, going down the line as he listed them. "Princess? Ocean theme? Monsters? Ballerina? Or animals?"

Emma reached for several, annoyed when Adrien took them back. 

"Only one, okay? Pick one card, Emma."

Reaching out again, Emma grabbed the ocean card, crumpling it in her hand.

"An ocean party! With all the fishes, Emma?"

"I don't think she can understand you." Plagg teased. 

"Well it doesn't hurt to talk to her. And she understands a little."

Plagg shook his head. "You humans raise your young so weird."

"You don't even have kids, you can't talk."

"It's still weird."

 

**T minus four weeks**

"Nino! Thank god you're here." Adrien hugged his friend before shooing him inside. 

"On a scale of one to ten, how much are you dad-ing right now, dude?"

"What? I just called you over to talk to you about music." He said innocently.

"Yeah... Music for Emma's first birthday?" Nino raised an eyebrow. 

"You said you'd make a playlist for the party."

"Yeah, I offered last night and the party isn't for another month, bro."

"I just want to have everything finalized. I'm already finished planning the snack menu, and Tom and Sabine promised to make some cupcakes for everyone."

Nino chuckled, shaking his head affectionately.

"What?"

"Nothing, bro. It's just cool seeing you passionate about stuff."

"I'm passionate about lots of things." Adrien shrugged. 

Nino snorted. "Dude, I've only ever seen you this excited about Ladybug and Marinette. It's cool. I'm still figuring stuff out and you're over here like Super Dad Adrien. Dadrien." He shook his head, grinning at the thought. 

"Dadrien, huh? Does that make Marinette _Mominette_?"

Bursting out laughing at his friend, Nino punched his arm. "Dude, that's terrible. I'm going to regret giving you this idea, aren't I?"

"I'm not that bad." Adrien grinned, relaxing. Too many times this past four weeks he’d worked himself up over small things. He was glad his friends were there to help him laugh at himself.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, dude."

"Just for that, I'm going to make sure there are bubble wands at the party."

"Wh-" Nino gave him an exasperated look. "I stopped carrying around the bubble wand like, as soon as the incident was over. Why do you do always have to bring that up?" He didn't seem irritated by it, just embarrassed at his time possessed by an akuma. 

Adrien grinned. "You got akumaized because you wanted to give me a birthday party. It's one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me. It meant a lot to me then and it still does now."

Smiling at his friend, Nino wrapped him in a half hug. "Let's start figuring out what kind of music to put on that playlist, bro."

 

**T minus three weeks**

Marinette woke to the Emma's fussing on the baby monitor. Rolling over, she found Adrien's spot on the bed empty. Had he already gone to get Emma? Ah, yup. There he was on the monitor. 

Well, she was already awake. And Emma didn't wake up in the middle of the night very often anymore, so it couldn't hurt to go too. 

As it turned out, Adrien was already moving Emma, bumping into Marinette as he left the nursery. 

"Oh hey. I got her, you can go back to sleep. You have to be well rested for work tomorrow." Adrien smiled at her half-awake form as he bounced Emma. 

"We both have work, you shouldn't have to stay up with her alone." Marinette yawned. 

"Actually, I was already up." He admitted sheepishly. 

She frowned at her husband, "You can't sleep?"

"I was... Well, come here."

Following him into the living room, Marinette looked around at the crafted ocean decorations that lay on the floor. Staring at them intently for a few moments, Marinette finally looked back up at Adrien. 

"They're really nice. But you need to sleep."

"But-"

"Adrien. We have three more weeks. And I love you, and my parents love you, and your dad loves you, and Nino and Alya love you." She fought back another yawn. "And Emma adores you. You could throw the worst party and we'd still love it and Emma would still have fun and charm the pants off of everyone there." Marinette tugged his sleeve, pulling him lightly towards their room. "Come to bed. You need sleep. Emma can sleep with us for tonight."

Looking at the living room, Adrien finally nodded. "You're right. Thanks, lovebug."

"That's what I'm here for, Kitty."

 

**T minus two weeks**

Marinette held back her laughter as she glanced over at Adrien. "Need help there?"

Plagg laughed. "I can't even tell what you're trying to make anymore."

Adrien stuck his tongue out, "So I'm new at knitting. I'm going to get this."

"Sure, Kitty. You know, you could have started with something a little simpler than Emma's mermaid tail though."

"Yeah, Adrien, maybe you should work up to it!" Tikki suggested helpfully. 

"But the party is soon and you're already doing the pirate hat. I didn't want you to have to do this too."

"Maybe if you mess up bad enough, your dad will insist on making it himself so that his granddaughter doesn't disgrace his good fashion name." Plagg snickered. 

"He can't knit. He'd just have one of his employees make it." Adrien remarked, untangling the yarn. 

"Yeah you're probably right about the employee thing, but," Marinette set the hat aside, spinning to look at him. "He _does_ know how to knit. I've seen him do it before."

"Oh." Adrien kept his eyes lowered. 

"Hey. Maybe this could be a good chance to hang out with him. He could teach you." 

"He's probably busy."

"Don't enable him. I make time off and so can he." Marinette confiscated the mess of a mermaid tail. "Go call him."

Sighing Adrien pulled out his phone, dialing carefully. Tikki gave him what he was pretty sure was her version of a thumbs up while Plagg flew over to Emma's crib. 

"Hello?" His father's voice came through, clear and crisp. "What can I do for you, Adrien?"

"Marinette said you know how to knit?" Even he knew that was a bad opener.

"I do." 

Silence stretched awkwardly between them for a few moments. "I'm knitting Emma a mermaid tail for her party, but it's not going very well. Do you think you could teach me?"

"...Wouldn't your wife be much better suited? I'm busy preparing for fashion week currently. Everything must be perfected well in advance."

"Marinette's making the pirate hat and I know she has work stuff too, so I’d really like to do this without her."

"I see." More silence. "...I believe I have books on knitting, if you'd like them. You could stop by and pick them up this afternoon."

Adrien smiled in relief, "Yeah. I'll stop by later then...Thanks."

Gabriel paused on the other end. "Of course."

 

**T minus 12 hours**

"Do you think I should move the steamers? They look a little crooked." Adrien studied the decorations intensely. 

"You are totally your father's son." Marinette groaned. "It's midnight. I can and will carry you to bed if you don't do it yourself."

Adrien smiled over at her. "Is that supposed to be a threat? Because now I'm _more_ tempted to stay here."

Mock-glaring at him, Marinette closed the distance between them and hoisted him up over her shoulder. 

"Some knight in shining armor you are, you carry me like a sack of flour."

Dropping him on the bed, Marinette flicked off the lights and flopped down beside him. "As I recall, _I_ was the princess. At least, that's what Chat told me." She teased, cuddling closer. 

"Are you cheating on me with Paris' famed superhero Chat Noir? How could you, I thought what we had was special."

Marinette snorted. "I heard from Chat Noir, that you were kissing Ladybug. Explain that, husband of mine."

Adrien sighed dramatically, curling around her contently. "Clearly we're both at fault here."

"Clearly." Marinette twisted to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she snuggled close. "I'll forgive you though. Ladybug is pretty cute after all."

 

* * *

Marinette took a seat next to Adrien, a plate full of ocean themed snacks in her hands. "Everything the way you wanted it?"

Adrien focused his camera, watching Nino blow bubbles at Emma. "Yeah. It's perfect. Or it will be once my dad arrives and everyone is actually here."

"Looks like you don't have to wait long." Marinette pointed to Gabriel awkwardly standing by the door. 

"Gabe! Get in here and join us!" Tom called out. 

"Where should I put the presents?"

Marinette stood to greet him. "We've just been putting them in the bedroom. I can take it for you."

Gabriel nodded, stepping out the door again and pushing back in a tall box that came almost above his waist. And another. And another. And-

"You-wha-Adrien?" Marinette looked over at her husband, at a loss for words. 

"Oh, you didn't have to spoil her." Adrien barely seemed dazed by the large presents. 

"What are they exactly?" Marinette asked as Adrien began moving them. 

"Nothing too extravagant. A dollhouse, a wagon, a rocking horse, a small ball pit, and one of those block-shape tables."

"I'm not sure we have enough room for all that." Marinette commented nervously. Was this a rich person thing? 

"Right. I hadn't thought of that." Gabriel nodded awkwardly, looking around. 

Sabine, savior of conversations that she was, quickly intervened. "Why don't you keep the bigger things in your house so Emma can play with them when she visits?"

"You can put them my old room." Adrien added, finally done with the last box. 

"...Alright." 

The five of them stood uncomfortably together until Nino interrupted with a yelp. Quickly looking over, they saw Emma, empty bubble soap holder in hand standing triumphantly (if shakily) above Nino's bubble soaped lap. Alya snickered as she pulled the girl away. 

"Better watch out, guys. This one's gonna be a real troublemaker."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all, I'm just tired in the nonproductive way and writing other stuff. I won't do it again probably. I feel too guilty if I leave you guys hanging for too long. I love your comments and your kudos and the fact that you're reading this, and your constructive criticism (you know...for the people who actually give some), and your suggestions. Thank you for all of the support!


	12. In which Marinette is bad at keeping secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapters: Adrienette is married with a beautiful little girl, Emma. At her first birthday, Gabriel went overboard buying gifts and it was suggested he keep them at the Agreste mansion so that Emma could still play with them all. 
> 
>  
> 
> **Marinette and Adrien are around 22.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So technically this was done last week but I wanted my editor to read it. Unfortunately she has life. So I just went along and posted it without her again.

Marinette helped rock Emma on the toy horse, rolling her eyes as Adrien snapped another picture of the pair. 

In the four months since Emma's first birthday, the family had been coming to Grandpa Gabriel's house far more often. And, much to Marinette’s dismay, the more they came, the more toys Gabriel filled the place with. And yet, he was always too busy to play with Emma or hang out with them for long. Still, Adrien's childhood room had been turned into an amazing playroom for the spoiled little granddaughter. Marinette supposed that the act of creating this for Emma was, in itself, big progress for Gabriel.

"How many pictures of her on the rocking horse do you need?" Marinette teased. 

"I'm not taking _that_ many."

"Sure, you aren't. And your dad doesn't buy Emma that many toys either." Marinette's phone buzzed in her purse. "Who is it?" She asked, still rocking Emma. 

"Alya just texted, want me to read it to you?" He started to unlock the phone. 

"No!" Marinette practically flew across the room to snatch the device out of her surprised husband's hands. 

"Okay?” He held his hands up in surrender as she took it, clearly lost by her reaction. “Is something wrong?" 

Emma fussed at being left out, quieting as Adrien walked over to pick her up. 

"No, it's just... Girl talk, you know?" Marinette tried to sound casual about it.

"Are her and Nino having issues?" Concern laced his tone.

"No, no, they're fine.” Marinette waved her hands insistantly. “I'll explain later."

Giving her a smile, Adrien nodded. "If you say so, bug."

Unlocking her phone, Marinette looked down at the text. 

**I got the paints when you're ready. Want me to get Nino to distract him?**

Marinette frantically replied.   
_You didn't tell him did you?!_

**Secret's safe girl. Don't freak**

_How would you get Nino to go along with it then?_

**They're practically married**

_What are we then?_

**Definitely married ;)**

_Distraction it is then. Thank you_

**Np**

"All good?" Adrien asked as she tucked her phone away again. 

"Yup!" She smiled, coming back over to sit with her family. 

Drumming her fingers nervously over her stomach, Marinette tried not to overthink everything. She and Alya had come up with a plan that was sure to knock Adrien’s socks off. She'd done this once, and she could do it again. 

Adrien cried out dramatically as Emma's doll "beat" the one he'd been holding. It was comforting to watch them together, and despite the remarks people had made on them being 'too young', Marinette was glad they'd had Emma when they did. She'd always known she'd wanted children, but the reality seemed so much better-and more chaotic- than she'd ever imagined. 

It was amazing to watch her husband and her daughter together; the little girl was always beating her father at some sort of fighting game. And Adrien seemed to thrive off of the time he spent with them. It was like watching him come to life when he was like this. Even when they were patrolling, jumping across rooftops and enjoying the night air, he'd never been so free as he was when it was when it was just the three of them like this.

Sure, there were hard times. And it was sometimes a bit strange to be the only one of her friends already married with a child. But life went on, and at the end of the day, Marinette wouldn’t have it any other way. She had supportive parents, the very best of friends, her dream job, and a wonderful family. All the more reason for Ladybug to fight for her beautiful city.

Marinette held back her ridiculously giddy grin as Adrien's cellphone rang. Nino. Right on cue. 

"I'll play with Emma. Why don't you go get that?" Marinette offered, taking over the losing doll army Adrien had been playing as.

Kissing her cheek in thanks, Adrien went to answer his phone. 

"Hello? .... No, I'm hanging out with the family, what's up? .... Right now? .... Yeah, that is weird." Adrien glanced over at Marinette. "Let me ask." He pulled the phone away from his ear, "Did you and Alya have plans today?"

Marinette jumped. "What do you mean?"

"Nino said Alya is kicking him out for the day because you two planned a girl day or something."

"Yes! I forgot. She wanted to hang out with Emma and me." Marinette smiled nervously. 

"What time did you guys plan on going over?"

"It's... Right now! Wow, I'm already late. You and Nino should totally hang out!" 

Adrien gave her an odd smile, nodding. "Okay," turning back to the phone, he and Nino agreed to meet up at the Agreste-Cheng apartment.

Marinette packed up Emma's things, getting ready to go. 

"Can I have goodbye kisses?" Adrien asked Emma as he came over. 

Reaching over for her dad, Emma planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. 

Picking her daughter up, Marinette followed suit, giving her husband a goodbye kiss as they parted ways. 

* * *

"Marinette is acting weird." Adrien told Nino, watching as his friend chowed down on the cookies Emma and him had made earlier for Tikki.

"Weird how?" He munched.

"Like she's hiding something. She's suddenly started locking her phone whenever I come over to sit next to her. And she gets all giggly and starts denying anything whenever I ask her what she's doing. Do you think I did something wrong?"

"Why don't you just ask her?" Nino shrugged.

"I don't want to make her uncomfortable about it."

"Dude," Nino set down his fourth cookie. "You two are like, the cutest couple of all time. It'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen, you guys get a divorce?"

"That would never happen!" Adrien insisted firmly. 

Nino nodded, taking another bite of his cookie. "Exactly. Just do your couple thing and communicate. You'll work it out, bro."

Adrien sighed, smiling. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Sometimes I think you just tell me these things because you like hearing me talk about how cute you two are together." Nino teased. 

"They're real concerns!"

"I know, bro." He laughed, slinging an arm around Adrien's shoulder. "Let's go play some video games so you can kick my ass again."

* * *

"Nino said they're on their way now." Alya slipped her phone back in her pocket. "You ready for this, girl?"

Marinette nodded, fiddling with Emma's tutu. "I hope he likes it. I feel like I copped out last time. I want to make it feel special for him."

"What are you going to do on your third? Hire a flash mob?" Alya teased. 

"No, that's not personal enough." Marinette said absentmindedly. 

"Girl."

Marinette looked up. 

"Chill. He'll love this."

Smiling, Marinette nodded, sighing in relief as she sat down on the bed. "Thanks, Alya."

"That's what I'm here for."

* * *

Nino unlocked the door, "We're back."

"We're in the bedroom." Alya called back. 

Shrugging, the boys made their way to the bedroom. "What's-"

Alya and Marinette stood, posed on either side of Emma. 

Taking in the scene, Adrien read Alya's puffy painted shirt **What's a Ladybug without her Chat Noir?**

Emma ran towards her dad clumsily, her red tutu bouncing and her Ladybug mask face painted on. "Up!" The little girl demanded, reaching up her hands for Adrien. 

Picking up their daughter, Adrien took in Marinette's shirt. A white t-shirt, a circle puffy painted around her stomach with two cat ears on top.

"Surprise!" Marinette laughed as she saw his dumbstruck expression. 

"Are you-?"

Turning towards the bed, Marinette picked up one last puffy painted shirt. 

"Super Dad." Adrien read out loud. 

"There's stuff on the back two."

Flipping it over, he read again, tears coming to his eyes, "Now with double the superpowers. You're pregnant?"

She nodded, wrapping him and Emma in a family hug. "You excited?"

"How could I not be? We're having another baby! Emma's going to be a big sister!" Tears came to his eyes as he giggled in joy.

Grinning at his friend, Nino walked over to stand next to Alya. "They're kind of ridiculous."

"Yeah, but we love them."

Nino nodded, "Yeah. We do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you guys. I love every piece of love you give me in the forms of feedback or just reading and everything. I'm sorry that I'm a trash baby who keeps giving weird update times. Life is weird right now. Thank you for supporting me.


	13. In which Emma gets a sidekick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapters: Adrienette bonded and revealed their secret identities after taking care of a fake baby doll in health class, lovingly named Hugo. Now, several years later, they have a wonderful daughter Emma, and are adding a healthy baby boy to their little family. 
> 
> **M &A age 22 Emma age 2**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not a lot of words, but it's something? And I don't want to force words where there are none and leave the fic feeling weird. Shoutout to commenters who went under the name Withdrawn because for some reason it was your comment that pushed me to finish and post? I'm kinda lsdkfjslkdfjlskdfj lately so writing weird. This chapter was one I actually got motivated to do two times before, but I couldn't finish it? But yeah! Thank you guys for bearing with me, I'm so sorry for disappearing this last month.

Adrien's eyes shined with new tears as he looked down at their new son in awe. "Emma, say hi to your little brother."

Marinette smiled as the toddler reached out a hand to pat the baby's head, one of the rare times she was blessedly quiet. "You're going to have to protect him for us. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah!" Emma bounced excitedly. 

"Shh, don't scare the baby." Adrien reminded her, adjusting his video camera on the stand before coming back over to the bed. 

Emma made the shooshing motion, nodding her head seriously as she patted her brother's head again. 

"You were this tiny once too, you know." Marinette smiled. 

"Nuh-uh!" Emma argued. 

"Yes, you were." She held back a giggle. "So before you know it, your brother is going to grow to be as big as you too!"

"I want to be bigger!" Emma insisted. 

"You will be, Princess." Adrien promised. 

Looking around, Emma tugged on her mother's arm. "Where's Plagg?"

"We can't play with him here." Marinette reminded her gently. "He's a secret remember?"

"Secret." Emma nodded. She'd forget again later, but for now at least they could trust her to drop the issue. Friends and family were under the impression Plagg and Tikki were stuffed animals that Emma made up wild stories about. 

Sabine came back into the room, "Sorry, that was your father on the phone."

"Things getting busy at the bakery again?"

The older woman nodded, "I'm sorry to run off again as soon as I drop off Emma."

"Thank you for watching her for us." Marinette smiled. "Do you have enough time to hold your new grandson before you go?"

Giving her daughter a quick kiss, Sabine dug a cupcake box out of her purse. "You eat this while I hold him. Your father made it especially for you."

"I helped!" Emma said, demanding acknowledgement for her baking skills. 

"Thank you, Emma, it looks very tasty." Marinette told her daughter, sharing a small bit of the sweet. 

"Hugo, huh?" Sabine smiled, bouncing the boy gently as she looked down at him. 

"Hugo Jr." Adrien corrected. 

"For the last time, there is no junior in his name." Marinette insisted. 

"Knock knock, your favorite Aunt and Uncle are here." Alya announced. 

Emma moved herself closer to Adrien, reaching her hands up. "Let me down." Emma said excitedly.

"What do you say?"

"Please." Emma added. 

"That's my kidten." Adrien smiled, swinging Emma off the bed so she could run to see Alya and Nino. 

Nino picked Emma up, lifting her high up in the air before settling her against his hip. "So this is Hugo Jr., huh?" Nino said cheerfully, looking at the newborn in Sabine's arms. 

"Not you too! There is no junior! We aren't naming him after the doll!" Marinette said, giving Nino a dirty look. 

"Marinette, that's rude to Hugo. He was such a good son too."

"But _this_ one is real."

Alya laughed at her friends antics, coming over to hug Marinette. "You smell like hospital."

"Gee, thanks. One day you'll be in my shoes, you know." Marinette teased. 

"Yeah, but not yet. The Ladyblog comes first."

"Alya, would you like to hold Hugo? I have to go back to help Tom."

"Sure." Alya took the baby as Sabine said her goodbyes. 

"You have to face the camera." Adrien told Alya seriously after a few moments. 

"Is that recording us?"

"Yes." Marinette chuckled. "He's on a home video spree lately."

"There's just some things video captures better than a still image." Adrien explained. 

"I completely get it, dude." Nino nodded. 

"It's because we let them hang out together so much. They're becoming a bad influence on each other." Alya joked. 

"Has Nino been picking up things Adrien does too?"

Alya gave her friend a look of clinical seriousness. "I caught him singing ABBA."

Marinette mock gasped, "Its worse than we thought."

“We can hear you, you know.”

The girls giggled, shaking their heads at the pair.

* * *

“We’re home.” Marinette announced, smiling as Tikki and Plagg zipped out of her purse to meet the new baby.

“Plagg! Plagg! Let’s play!” Emma yelled, trying to reach high enough to grab him as he floated above Hugo.

“Not until I get the cheese I know you guys picked up when you were out.” Plagg complained. “I was practically dying of starvation in there!”

“Marinette snuck you some cheese while you were there.” Adrien pointed out, opening the diaper bag he’d stuffed the fancier cheese in.

“It was string cheese! It was like you were trying to poison me!”

“Oh, don’t be melodramatic, Plagg.” Tikki shook her head. “Marinette just made a new human! Isn’t it incredible?”

“Here you go, you glutton.” Adrien sighed, handing it over. “At least ration it out a little this time.”

Ignoring him, Plagg devoured the cheese quickly.

“Please?” Emma asked, remembering the manners her parents had been working hard to remind her of.

Grumbling about ‘babysitting’, Plagg flew down to play with Emma, concealing his happiness as the little girl clapped and dragged him off to play with her dolls.

Smiling as the cat kwami entertained her daughter, Marinette looked back down at Tikki and Hugo. “What do you think, Tikki?”

“He looks just like you!”

“I wonder if Plagg will like Hugo Jr. as much as he likes Emma.” 

By now, Marinette had given up on correcting him, giggling instead. “He still won’t admit it even if he does.”

“That’s true.” Adrien laughed.

“He reminds me of a certain someone I know.” Marinette sighed as she sat down on the couch.

“Who?”

“Your dad? He didn’t show up to meet his new grandson. Even my dad managed to slip away from work for a little bit to come say hi.”

“He’s getting better.” Adrien shrugged.

“I just don’t see what was so important that he had to-” the sounds of yelling alerted them to the akuma just moments before the alarms rang out on their phones. “Again? Really?”

Adrien smiled sheepishly as he took her earrings. “Sorry, Bug.”

“Just come home soon.” Marinette pouted, giving him a kiss before him and Tikki transformed.

“I will.”

“And bring me back more bread!” She called as he swung off. Sighing, Marinette pulled up the Ladyblog to follow the story before heading over to sit with her daughter and Plagg. 

“It’s so unfair.” Marinette muttered, rocking the surprisingly quiet Hugo lightly.

 

Alya ran up to catch Ladybug after the fight, bustling with energy. “Mr. Ladybug! Where is our usual lucky heroine?”

“Unfortunately, Ladybug is tied up with some personal things again, but she sent me to look after Paris for her while she’s away. Hawkmoth can’t beat the lucky duo after all!”

“Any words you want to give the listeners before you go?” Alya asked, knowing he was likely to run off on her soon by the way he’d begun inching away.

Ladybug stopped, giving the camera a grin. “I’ll see you soon, my Lady.” And with a wink, he flew off, vaulting across buildings. 

Marinette giggled. “Show off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual constructive criticism is very appreciated? My mind is very scattered lately and my editor is busy so I don't catch everything! I want to fix things that you think are awkwardly phrased or characterized weird! I want to get better, that's why I write!
> 
> I also appreciate all your comments, even if I do disappear for long periods of time, they mean the world to me.
> 
> Also just a heads up for those of you who follow my Dadrien blog you may have noticed I'm a piece of trash who hasn't updated in so long!! And doesn't plan to!! Life is weird and I don't feel confident in my ability to actually do anything with that blog for awhile, though I do want to pick it up again eventually. I'm blaming it on Dadrien being busy with the kiddos and Marinette preparing for fashion week stuff. As well as a special something that happens in September in the year that the Dadrien blog is currently set in~. I still have my super long outline and I still want to do this fic and that blog, I just need time to readjust my headspace, so sometimes posting will get irregular. If you guys talk to me about my fic or your OCs that you want to see in it or even just Miraculous Ladybug in general _that gives me motivation to write_. But serious? Just thank you for being here with me, I'm so glad you guys enjoy this and if I can make your day even a little better by this little update, I will continue to write.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Constructive Criticism, and the fact that you are someone who is READING THIS RIGHT NOW are all very appreciated!


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